


Kimi ga Hontou ni Dai(t)suki

by Sorai_Rina



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Childhood Trauma, College, Comedy, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Dating, Depression, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, High School, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Multi, My First Smut, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oral Sex, Other, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Romantic Angst, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Soulmates, Rough Sex, Self-Harm, Semi-Public Sex, Slice of Life, Smut, Soulmates, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Training Camp, Unrequited Love, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:00:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 22
Words: 82,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25654036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorai_Rina/pseuds/Sorai_Rina
Summary: The Tsukishima family always wanted to have a new addition to their family: a daughter to dress-up and cook with and a sister to play with and to protect. That's when a little girl came knocking on their door and offering an apple pie, introducing herself as (L/N) (Y/N) and saying that she just moved in next door. They invited her to dinner and soon, things took a turn.They shouldn't have judged a book by its cover. Underneath her (e/c) eyes filled with mirth and the bright smile painted on her lips, she had gone through something a child shouldn't have.That was when Kei swore he would do anything in his power to protect her from all harm, that he would always be by her side. Growing up, he realized that he loved her more than he thought. Everyone knew that he did, except her."Why are you so damn oblivious, (Y/N)?" he muttered, his hot breath fanning over your lips; causing you to shiver and your legs to feel weak. You sucked in a shaky breath but stood your ground. "I don't know what you're talking about, Ke-" You were cut off when he muffled your words with a kiss full of various emotions: frustration, anger, longing, sadness, lust... and most of all, love.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Tsukishima Kei/Reader, Yachi Hitoka/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 15
Kudos: 144





	1. Reminiscing on the Day We Met

_"Mom? Who lives beside our house?" A 7 year-old blonde boy with glasses asked his mother. His mother just looked at him in confusion. "Kei, what are you talking about? No one lives there.. well, yet, " she said, patting her son's head before taking out a newly-baked sponge cake for the strawberry shortcake from the oven._

_Kei pouted as he spoke, "But, I saw a huge truck and men taking out boxes and.. I saw a girl at my age, I think." Just as he mumbled the last sentence, his older brother, Akiteru came home from school and heard it._ _"Ohoho~ Kei has a crush?" He teased him and ruffled his hair. Kei just slapped his hand away and glared at him playfully._

_Akiteru grinned at his reaction and kissed his mom's cheek before he went to the back of the house with Kei following him."Nii-chan! How was practice? Does it feel great to be an ace?" Kei asked, his golden-brown eyes sparkling in curiosity. Akiteru was tossing a volleyball against the basketball stand when he suddenly stopped as he heard his little brother's question._

_He turned to him with a seemingly forced smile as he spouted a lie,"Yeah! It feels great to score points for the team and see the other team's defeated expressions," he laughed half-heartedly before proceeding to toss the ball. Kei was about to say something when his mother suddenly called him, her voice coming from the kitchen, "Kei! Someone's at the door, can you open it for me, sweetie? I'm putting frosting on the cake."_

_"Okay, mom!" he replied and ran to the front door. He opened it and the sweet and sugary scent of caramel and apples hit his nose. He looked down at the girl in front of him. He knew that he was big for his age and that when others see him, they get intimidated by his height and run away. But this girl was different. She was smiling brightly at him, her (e/c) hues shining in mirth and her (h/c) hair swaying slightly from the cold night breeze._

_Kei went out of his trance when the girl talked, " Good evening to you, neighbor! I'm here to give this. I just moved in next door. " she handed him the pie. Kei grabbed it and thanked her. He was about to close the door in her face when she suddenly flailed her tiny arms around while exclaiming," Hey! You're rude. You haven't even told me your name." The girl pouted and crossed her arms._

_An irk mark appeared on his head and he clicked his tongue before rudely introducing himself, "Tch. I'm Tsukishima Kei." He refused to look at her (she was cute). The girl smiled wide, took his free hand, and shook it. "Nice to meet you, Kei-kun. I'm (L/N) (Y/N)," she introduced herself with a bow. He glared at her a little and pulled his hand away from her grasp._

_He was about to close the door again when he heard his mother's voice sounding from behind him," Ara~! We have a new neighbor! What's your name, little angel?" The girl's cheeks turned pink, but she nevertheless grinned and replied cheerfully_ , _"Good evening, Tsukishima-san! I'm (Y/N) desu~"_

_His mother cooed at her cuteness visibly before suggesting, "Why don't you have dinner with us as thanks for the pie? I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind." Once his mother said that, he saw how the girl's eyes glinted with sadness and pain before going back to the eyes full of mirth._

_She shook her head and said, "They won't mind and thank you for having me over." She showed her gratitude with a bow of her head before she went in, taking her shoes off and placing them by the genkan._   
  
  


_Kei's mother smiled happily before she asked her son to do something, "Kei, kindly lead her to the dining room. I'll go call your brother." She went off to the backyard to find her first son. Kei sighed before turning and silently went to the dining room. He set the pie down beside the cake that his mother made before he sat down on the high chair._

_He snorted when he saw the (h/c) haired girl struggling to get onto the seat beside him. The girl heard it and narrowed her (e/c) orbs at him, pouting at him not making any moves to help."Kei-kun! Help me get on~!" she whisper-shouted because of embarrassment. He laughed, wearing a smirk as he teased her, "It's not my fault that you're so short. Heh, chibi-chan." He was gauging the girl's reaction._

_She huffed, "Well, it's not my fault that you're tall either! Hmmp."She pouted, but then yelped when she's suddenly seated on the chair. Akiteru was the one to help her as he turned to his little brother, scolding him, "Kei! That's not how you treat a girl!" Kei just clicked his tongue and adverted his gaze, pouting._

_Akiteru then turned to the (e/c) eyed girl. "I heard you're (Y/N)-chan? Nice to meet you! I'm Akiteru, Kei's older brother," he introduced and held his hand up. (Y/N) gave it a high-five before bowing and thanking him for getting her on the chair, when a certain someone wouldn't._

_"Okay~ Everyone, please sit down on your seats and let's start eating!" Kei's mother said as she clapped her hands."Itadakimasu!" They all chorused before they started eating. As they ate dinner, they started to have small chats with the girl and sharing some moments of their family. It was odd to them as to why the girl never shared anything yet but it slipped out of their mind as they laughed at some nostalgic memories._   
  


_They were finished eating dinner and were moving on to dessert. Kei moved his hand to reach for a slice of strawberry shortcake but his mother slapped his hand away. Kei hissed in pain and rubbed his hand as he stared at his mother confusedly._ _She just shook her head, telling him, "No, Kei. We'll eat what (Y/N)-chan offered us first." Kei pouted and sighed when a slice of apple pie met his plate._

_Once everyone got a piece on their plate, they started to take a bite. When the pie met their tongue, their taste buds tingled at the sweet caramel filling, the apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg mingling together harmoniously. "Wow! This tastes delicious! Your mom's a great baker, (Y/N)-chan!" Akiteru straight away assumed that it was her mom that baked because he couldn't contain his awe._

_The (h/c) haired girl tensed and stopped eating; her fork halfway through her mouth before she slowly put it down.".. I baked it by myself, Aki-niisan. Thank you for the compliment.." she replied and smiled to him. To Kei, it seemed forced so he decided to ask, but he didn't expect it to come out as harsh._

_" Where's your mother? I thought mothers love to cook for their children," he asked with a raise of a brow, but then widened his hazel orbs when he saw the girl's (e/c) ones turn glassy as she looked down on her lap._ _She bit her quivering bottom lip before she muttered, "S-She d-did loved to c-cook for me. B-But, s-he c-can't anymore." Her shoulders began to shake as whimpers started to slip past her lips quietly._

_At the sight of the crying girl, Kei's mother immediately stood up and pulled her out of her seat; sitting her down on her lap and rubbing her back. "Shh, sweetie, stop crying. I'm sure your mom can still cook for you. Your father can, too," Kei's mother softly cooed at her. (Y/N)'s body just trembled more with sobs as she shook her head. At that, Akiteru and Kei just stayed put, watching the them in silence as they listened._

_(Y/N) began with a shaky exhale before speaking," M-My mo-mmy is in a c-coma. D-Daddy s-said she m-may n-never w-wake up. D-Daddy c-can't cook for m-me be-because h-he doesn't w-want to see me.. b-because I l-look like mommy and sent m-me off he-re to live with my uncle.. B-But u-uncle lives in his own house with h-his w-wife and k-kids and w-will o-only c-check up on me o-once a m-month," she hiccupped as Kei's mother hushed her and rubbed circles on her little back._

_While doing that, she gestured Akiteru to take Kei upstairs and he nodded; standing up from his seat as he turned to his little brother._ _"Come on, Kei. Let's go to your room," he urged him with a stern look. Kei just nodded obediently and followed his brother to his room. Once they reached his dinosaur-themed room ( I know we're trying to be serious but—dinosaurs!) and closed the door, Kei sat on his bed while Akiteru sat beside him._

_Akiteru frowned, letting out a sigh as he said, " You know, Kei.. My first expression on (Y/N)-chan is that.. she has a very happy family.. and that she's living a perfect life because of her cheerfulness.. I never thought that a 7 year-old girl can experience those kind of things. She must be going through a lot of pain right now and just kept on bottling it inside, until a while ago.."_

_He sighed again, feeling bad for (Y/N). He gave a weak smile towards his little brother before giving him a pat on his back; standing up from the bed. "Be her friend, Kei. She needs someone to lean on," he said before going out to go to his own room. Kei just sighed and laid down on his bed. As he stared up his ceiling, he wondered on how the (h/c) haired girl stayed strong and independent. She was more mature than he thought, despite her childish personality._

_Then_ , _he scowled_ _when he remembered he didn't get to eat his strawberry shortcake. After a while, the door to his room opened and his mother stood there, with (Y/N) fast asleep in her arms._ _With a sheepish smile, his mother asked him to let the girl sleep beside him, "Kei, would you mind sharing your bed with (Y/N)-chan? She's so tired of crying that she fell asleep." Kei just hesitantly nodded and moved aside to let his mother lay the girl down on his bed._

_As soon as she tucked her in, she kissed her son's forehead._ _"I'll go check on her house and lock the doors, since she gave me her keys. Take care of her for a while, okay?" she let him know then left his room. As the silence in his room continued with the exception of the sounds of crickets, the occasional squeaks of the bats, and the girl's steady breathing beside him were the only noises heard._

_Kei always wanted to have a little sister so he can protect her. He assumed that maybe that's the reason why he turned soft on her. He turned to look at the girl with a tear-streaked face, brushing strands of her (h/c) tresses away from it before kissing her forehead softly, He took off his glasses and laid down beside her, her comfortable warmth lulling him to sleep._   
  
  


* * *

_In the middle of the night, (Y/N) mumbled words in her sleep, "Mama, I miss you.. Papa, I'm sorry.." She let out a whimper, causing Kei to snap his eyes open. He turned his body to look at the girl beside him, her (h/c) locks were splayed all over the place and tears were steadily streaming down her face. He gently wiped them away and wrapped his arms around her small and fragile self. She calmed down after a while and wounded her tiny arms around him, their warmth sending each other a sense of comfort and peace._


	2. Childhood Memories

  
  


" Oi, _chibi-chan_. Wake up, classes are over." Someone roughly nudged you from your slumber, but you ignored it, groaning and burying your face more in your folded arms on your desk.

" Tsukki, let's give her five minutes. Don't be so rough with her," A gentle voice chided them and you thanked whoever that is. Someone clicked their tongue and had an irritated tone when they said, "Tch. We'll be late to practice." They nudged you once more which you ignored yet again. Afterwards, you suddenly felt someone lifting you up into their arms so you nuzzled your face against their warm chest, slipping into dreamland yet again.

* * *

_A (h/c) haired girl opened her (e/c) eyes to see someone's chest. She looked up and saw the blonde boy's sleeping face. She giggled a bit and wriggled her arms out of Kei's embrace. What she didn't know is that, he is a light sleeper and instantly woke up when she was out of his arms." Where are you going, chibi-chan?" he asked and sat up, getting his glasses from his desk and putting them on._

_The girl suddenly blushed and faced his door, playing with her thumbs and nibbling on her bottom lip," I need to pee, but I don't know where the bathroom is.." She trailed off. She refused to receive help because she needed to learn not to depend on anyone. After all, she was to start living on her own no longer with the warmth from her mother and attention from her father._

_Then she continued, " Please tell me the directions, I can go there on my own." Kei raised his brow in question, smirking and teasing her, " Aren't you afraid of the dark hallways, chibi? Do you need to hold my hand?" Of course, as a child, she was afraid but she needed to overcome her fears and show him that she isn't scared of anything._

_She shook her head, denying his claim, " I-I'm not! I said I can go there on my own." Kei sighed before standing up and opening the lights beside his bed. Then he pointed at the door across his room. " My room's attached to a bathroom. You don't need to go downstairs," he said._

_She blinked, turning to where he pointed at and let out an, " Oh.. But I need to go downstairs." She knew her manners so she didn't want to use the bathroom in his room. She persisted to go downstairs and asked him for directions again. He clicked his tongue before complying to her request, tugging on her wrist and dragging her out of his roo_ _m._

_He felt around the walls for the light switch and turned it on to a dim one. Then he continued to lead you to the bathroom, going down the stairs with you behind him._ _He flinched when he felt a tug so he looked behind him and blushed a little at your little hand clutching on the hem of his shirt. Then he opened his mouth to speak quietly, " Quit tugging at my shirt. It's going to go loose if you keep doing that," he mumbled the last part. The (h/c) haired girl let go, complying to his wishes but Kei took her hand and continued on to lead her to the bathroom._

_Once they reached their destination, he pushed the girl inside and let her do her business. When she was done, Kei took her hand again and went up to his room since it was too early; the sun hasn't even risen yet._ _Kei turned off the lights again when they his room and laid down on the bed with (Y/N) following suit. She was facing the ceiling while Kei turned his back to her._

_After a few moments of just hearing the gentle sounds the crickets made, (Y/N) began to ask in doubt, "Ne, Kei-kun.. Do you think I can make friends tomorrow at school?" she stared at the blonde boy's back. She needed assurance since she never felt good about herself since her mother went into coma._

_Kei just shrugged and kept quiet._ _"Kei-kun, are you sleeping~?" (Y/N) asked and he just groaned in response. The girl started to poke his back, much to his annoyance. "Quit it, chibi-chan," he hissed at the girl._

She whined. _"Mou~ I have a name, you know. You can call me by my name," she insisted. Kei didn't care, he just loved to tease her. " We all have names, chibi-chan," he stated knowingly, causing the girl to stop poking his back and turn to face the ceiling again. Kei was surprised at the sudden stop so he turned to face her, only to see her gnawing on her bottom lip again with her eyebrows furrowed._  
  
  


_He flicked her forehead, causing her to yelp in pain, rubbing the sore place." Oi, chibi-chan, stop thinking and go to sleep, it's still too early," he said. The girl pouted, mumbling under her breath, " Mou! Kei-kun's so rude, hmmp!" before turning to face him, tucking her head underneath his chin and burying her face in his chest; feeling its warmth. She didn't know, but the tip of the blonde boy's ears went red. She slowly fell into sleep's embrace again as she felt something soft pressing on the top of her head._ _._

* * *

"Tsukki! Slow down, you might wake her up!" A gentle and panicked voice which you identified as Yamaguchi whispered (or tried to).

"Shut up, Yamaguchi. We're already late. Daichi- _san_ will surely give us extra laps." Someone with a deep voice with a hint of annoyance said; you knew it was Kei.

" _Gomen_ , Tsukki. I guess she's still a heavy sleeper, huh," Yamaguchi apologized and mumbled the last part, fondness adorning his features. Kei was the same but he didn't let him see it. "She cleaned her house on her own. For having such a small body, it must've drained all of her energy, " he muttered. You still didn't open your eyes because sleep still hasn't let you out of it grasps.. yet..  
  


* * *

_The (h/c) haired girl woke up without the blonde boy beside her. She slowly sat up and scanned the room, now noticing that it was sky blue and dinosaur-themed. She even saw a glass-covered shelf with a varieties of dinosaur figurines and plushies._ _She thought about going closer to look until she shook her head and turned to the door to go downstairs._

_As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard someone greet her," Oh! (Y/N)-chan, you're awake! Good morning!" Akiteru said as he poked his head out from the living room. The (h/c) haired girl politely bowed and greeted him back, "Good morning, Aki-niisan."_

_At that moment, his mother went out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. (Y/N) bowed and greeted her too," Good morning to you too, Tsukishima-san."_

_She waved her hand around dismissively, saying, "Oh, no. You can call me mom, you know." The girl just widened her eyes and shook her head, showing reluctance towards her suggestion." N-No, that would be too much. Don't you think so too, Aki-niisan?" she looked at the said male, pleading for back-up but he just laughed at her cute expression._

_Akiteru shook his head as he spoke, "No, it isn't. I always wanted to have a cute little sister~" he sang and his mother joined along in the teasing, "And I always wanted to have a daughter~" she added, causing the (h/c) haired girl to blush and stammer," B-But-" she was cut off by his mother, "No buts. You'll call me mom from now on, (Y/N)-chan," she established._

_The girl's (e/c) orbs turned teary before she wiped them and smiled brightly at the two. "Thank you, mom. Thank you, Aki-nii," she thanked them with a cute smile and pink hue dusted on her cheeks. His mother cheered and carried the girl, hugging her tightly. "I have such a cute daughter~!" she squealed happily. The (h/c) haired girl giggled and hugged her mom. At such a heart-warming sight of the girls he love, Akiteru couldn't help but to also join in the group hug._

_Once they puled away from each other, they laughed at their silliness and after a few minutes, the girl asked, "Mom, where's Kei-kun?" Her mom put her down first before replying_ , _" He's out getting some ingredients that I forgot to buy. Akiteru here, was cleaning the living room so I asked Kei."_

_The girl nodded and tugged at her mom's dress._ _"Can I please have my keys? I'm going back to get my things out of the remaining boxes," she asked. The woman nodded and took the girl's keys from her apron's pocket. She smiled, thanking her and going to the front door where she wore her shoes and went opened the door._

_She bumped against Kei on her way out and greeted him," Good morning, Kei-kun~" the (h/c ) nette chirped with a smile before waving at him and running to her house. He just clicked his tongue and entered his home._

_The girl entered her house after unlocking the front door but she was immediately on the ground with her puppy on top of her, licking her face."Hahaha--stop it, it tickles! Hahahaha!" The girl giggled before she sat up and hugged the Akita puppy._ _"How are you, Hachi?" she asked, causing the puppy to bark in response and lick her cheek. She laughed and patted his head._

_After a while, she stood up and put her puppy down. Then he ran out his small dog door on the front door to do his business. The girl just laughed and began to pull the things out of the boxes and place them in their designated places. As soon as the girl was done, she began to cook her lunch, and possibly dinner because she can't eat all of it. The girl was tasting the sauce when she heard her doorbell ring._

_She got off the stool she was on and went to open the front door. Kei was there so she let him enter." Mom said to call you over. She made lunch," he told her as he removed his shoes at the genkan. She let out an 'oh' before allowing the blonde boy to follow her to the kitchen where a fragrance of different spices met his nose._

_He furrowed his brows in confusion,_ " _What are you do-" he asked, but was cut off and yelped when he was on the ground with a puppy licking his face, as well as a kitten sitting on one of his legs. The girl was about to go on the stool again when she heard a sudden thud from behind her. She turned around and gasped happily, grabbing the cat that was perched on his leg._ _"Yuki! Where were you?" She exclaimed as she hugged the white kitten to her chest; the kitten purring in delight as a result._

_After a few pats on the head, the kitten jumped out of her arms and nuzzled against her leg. (Y/N) then turned to Kei, saying, "Oh, Kei. He's Hachi. I think he likes you~" the girl giggled at his predicament, causing him to glare daggers into her, but that did not make him look threatening because of the blush present on his cheeks and the tip of his ears. The blonde then sat up, and reluctantly patted the puppy's head while it's seated on his lap._

_After her giggles died down, the girl went to the sink to wash her hands before going on the stool and putting a sufficient amount of pepper and basil leaves in the stew. She tasted it before nodding in approval._

_"Why are you cooking?" The blonde boy asked as he stood up from the floor and washed his hands at the sink._ _"I didn't know that you'll call me over, and I guess, it's a habit." The (h/c) haired girl shrugged nonchalantly and put a lid on the pot before turning off the stove. She got down from the stool and got her mittens from one of the drawers. She was about to go on the stool again but the blonde boy stopped her. "Chibi-chan, give me the mittens. I doubt you can carry that. I don't even have to go on the stool to reach the pot," he said with a teasing smirk, causing the girl to pout but nevertheless, gave him the mittens so he carry it._

_While he stood there waiting for her, she reached for two cans on the kitchen isle."Hachi, Yuki! Here's your food!" The girl announced and put the canned dog food and cat food on two separate pet bowls and filled one big bowl with water. "We're leaving. Take care of the house for me, okay?" she let them know and she got a bark and a meow as they wore their shoes and went out._

_Straightly after they entered the blonde boy's home, they took off their shoes while saying their greetings, " Tadaima!" they chorused, receiving a ' Okairinasai' and an 'Okairi' somewhere from the kitchen and the living room._ _They made their way to the dining room where their mom was. She turned to them, the pot arousing her curiosity." What's this, (Y/N)-chan?" their mom asked as she gestured to the pot._

_(Y/N) twirled a strand of her hair as she gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, mom. Its a habit of mine to cook all of my meals and I guess I made too much," she said. Their mom just shook her head fondly before leading them to the dining table where the blonde boy laid the pot on._

_Just as it was down, Akiteru came in from the entryway of the dining room."(Y/N)-chan, you cooked again? I can't wait to taste your cooking~" Akiteru chirped as he sat down on his chair after getting the (h/c) nette on her chair. Everything was settled down so their mother said, " Okay, let's eat~!"_

_" Itadakimasu~!" They chorused before they started eating._

_" Ne, (Y/N)-chan, did you pack your things for school yet ?" Her mom asked. She nodded and swallowed her food before giving a reply, " Yep! I can't wait to make new friends!" The girl enthusiastically said, popping the 'p' sound._

_" Kei, you should be more like (Y/N)-chan. Make new friends. Don't be stingy and scare them away," Akiteru chided the blonde as he pointed his chopsticks accusingly at him._ _Kei scoffed." I don't scare them away. They run off by themselves. Pathetic cowards," Kei spat out before shoving a piece of meat inside his mouth._

_His mother and brother just sweat dropped before lighting up at what (Y/N) said." That's okay! I'll help Kei-kun make some friends!" The girl proposed._ _" You're such an angel, (Y/N)-chan." Akiteru and his mother wiped tears at the corner of their eyes. Kei just clicked his tongue and continued eating._

_Once they were done eating, (Y/N) thanked them before going to the front door to wear her shoes._ _" I'll be going now! Thank you, mom! I won't be coming over for dinner, I'm sorry!" The girl yelled as she went out, her empty pot in her hands._

_The (h/c) haired girl went into her house, taking off her shoes in the doorway and going to the kitchen to wash the pot. After cleaning all of the utensils she used, she opened another can of dog food and cat food and put it in the pet bowls. She was going to sleep through dinner because she was already tired, plus, she needs to wake up early to cook breakfast and pack her bento._

* * *

" (Y/N)- _chan_ looks so tired. What did you do to her, Stingyshima?!" Someone _'whispered'_ and judging from the nickname and the amount of energy present in his voice, you knew it was Hinata.  
  


" Hinata, you dumbass! Lower your voice, she's sleeping!" Another voice said and just from the endearing nickname to his partner and the animalistic growl, it was Kageyama. Your favorite blueberry _(but unfortunately, not Kei's)_.  
  


" You should shut up too, king. Your voice is as loud as shrimpy's." Someone snickered and you felt that someone putting you down on a cold and flat surface. You were mad at them for taking the warmth away. You couldn't put a hand on it.. who is it again?  
  
  


" Tsukki! Let her use your bag as a pillow!" Yamaguchi's gentle voice ordered sternly. Ah, yes. It was your dearest childhood friend, the tall salty blonde, who made you part with his warmth. Kei just clicked his tongue." Shut up, Yamaguchi. I know what I'm doing," he said, slightly irritated because he didn't want anyone ordering him around _(with the exception of you, of course)_.

A bag was then placed underneath your head and a big soft fabric was draped around you. You clutched the fabric closer to you, loving the scent of Kei's cologne it let off.

" Uwaah~! (Y/N)- _chan_ 's so cute. I want to hug her, my angelic _kouhai_ ~"

" I want to hug her too, Noya- _san_!" Two voices cried and you knew it was your rambunctious _senpai_. They were the ones who always awed at your cuteness evidently.  
  
  


" Now, now. Let's leave (Y/N)- _chan_ be and let's start practice before Daichi gets back from the club room," A voice said in a motherly tone; who else but Suga? You heard the pairs of footsteps walk away from you and then sounds of balls hitting the floor.  
  


" Tsukki, you coming?" Yamaguchi asked the blonde who was still by your side." Go ahead first, Yamaguchi. I need to tie my shoes," You heard Kei said. Yamaguchi complied and bit his tongue to prevent a retort because when he looked down at his friend's shoes, they were already neatly tied.

As soon as Yamaguchi started to serve and went to mind his own business, you felt familiar soft lips on your temple and you smiled serenely before your consciousness faded again.


	3. A New Friend

_The (h/c) haired girl was having a nightmare as usual: her mother's comatose and her father's cold voice and blank expression as he pushed her away from her mother's hospital bed kept replaying in her mind. She didn't know that the words her father told her as she was taken away by the hospital staff were going to haunt her forever. She didn't know that she'll take it to the heart and change the way she viewed herself._   
  


  
  


* * *

  
  


_**Her father looked down at her, his (e/c) eyes that were once filled with warmth were cold and unforgiving; she shrunk under his gaze, looking down at the floor. " Your mother might never wake up, and you know whose fault that is?" he asked and she knows full well whose fault it was.** _   
  
  
  


_**" I-It was m-my f-fault *hic.." she admitted with a hiccup, her little hands that were formed into fists wiping her tears away. But it was futile, they kept flowing. She was lost; she didn't know what to do. Not only did she lose her mother, she didn't know who was standing in front of her at the moment. Her father's voice was always gentle and his lips were always curled up into a smile, but the person standing in front of her was scowling in what seem to be revulsion and his tone was harsh; emotionless.** _   
  
  
  
  
  


_**He smiled and it was far from warm. It terrified her. " That's right, (Y/N). It was all your fault. Now, get out of my sight, I don't want to see your face. Nurse, please take her away," he demanded as he turned his back to his daughter.** _   
  
  
  


_**" Papa, I'm sorry! It's my fault! " Her vision was blurred but she kept on reaching her hand out in hopes of her father turning to her with a playful smile and tell her that it was only a joke.. a cruel one.. but it never happened. She was just a powerless little girl who could only let herself be taken away from her beloved parents.** _   
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


_Her (e/c) orbs were wide with fear and brimming with tears as she woke up. But she couldn't move her limbs to grab her favorite plushy and for her to stay grounded. She opened her mouth to intake air because her nose was already clogged up with snot. She was sobbing and whimpering; it was getting harder to breathe and her chest kept tightening. She screw her eyes shut and hoped that when she opens them again, she can snap out of it._   
  
  
  


_As soon as she felt something wet staining her cheeks (besides her tears), she opened her eyes and little by little, she could feel her breathing getting steady. Also, the tears that were blurring her vision dried up and she saw her puppy licking her cheek. She gave a weak smile and raised a shaky hand to pet him. She was very thankful for having them look out for her._   
  
  
  


_She said she's alright but her companion didn't think that way so the puppy kept on licking her face, his tail wagging behind him. "Heeheehee, I'm fine-stop it, Hachi! Yuki, not you too!" she giggled when the kitten slapped her pink paws against her soft cheek repeatedly._   
  


_" Alright, I'm up, I'm up! Woah, it's still early," The girl said as she sat up, looking at the clock on the bedside table, showing that it was' 5:28 AM' ._ _She stretched her arms above her head before going to the bathroom to take a bath._ _After taking a bath she decided to dress up, blow dried and brushed her hair._  
  
  


_She went down to the kitchen where her puppy and kitten were waiting for food, sitting beside their bowls with wagging tails and excited eyes. She chuckled and fed them, filling the other bowl with water. Then, she wore her apron and folded her sleeves before beginning to prepare ingredients._   
  
  
  


_She made too much again so she decided to put it in a separate bento box. She began to cook eggs, bacon, and pancakes for breakfast. When she checked the time it was already '6:25 AM'. She washed her hands and arranged the food on the dining table, taking her apron off and pulling on her sleeves in the process._   
  


_The doorbell rang so she climbed down the chair and went to get it. She opened the door and smiled at the blonde boy. "Ohayou, Kei-kun~ You're so early. Did you have breakfast?" she asked while letting him go in and take his shoes off by the doorway._   
  
  
  
  


_"Not yet. I didn't wake my mom up to make me food. She was tired from cleaning the house and doing the laundry yesterday," Kei responded and followed the small girl to the dining room._ _She hummed before chirping, " Well, good thing I made breakfast! Let's eat now, Kei-kun."_  
  
  
  


 _Kei nodded and sat down on a chair. He saw (Y/N) about to climb the chair so he stood up and sat her down before seating on his seat._ _" Arigatou, Kei-kun! You have a nice bone in you after alll~" she smiled, causing him to look down at the food, blushing a bit._  
  
  
  


_"Itadakimasu." They clapped their hands then began eating their breakfast. (Y/N) swallowed her food before starting a conversation with the boy, "Are you excited, Kei-kun?" she asked and received an immediate 'no' from him. Her brows met in confusion as she questioned him, " But whyyy? We get to meet new people and make new friends~!" she squealed enthusiastically before eating a piece of pancake with a strip of bacon and egg._   
  
  
  


_" What's the point? No one wants to be friends with me, they're all too scared." He clicked his tongue, " Tch. I don't need friends anyway.." he said before munching on a pancake._ _(Y/N) gasped, " That's not true, Kei-kun! I'm not scared of you and don't worry, I'll help you make lots of friends!"_  
  
  
  


_He looked at the girl beside him, shocked at her words of determination and he watched her chomping down on her fork happily before smirking. "Careful, chibi-chan. Don't be a pig or else you'll choke," he teased and watched as she pouted and said he's a meanie; earning a laugh from him because of her childishness. Soon, they finished eating and stacked their plates in the sink._   
  
  
  


_" You go first, Kei-kun," (Y/N) told him as he wore his shoes and bag by the doorway. She got a shrug of his shoulders before he went out. She ran to the living room to get her bag and then back to the kitchen to get her bento boxes wrapped in a cloth. She copied Kei's actions before opening the door and saying goodbye to her companions._   
  
  
  
  


_Kei was leaning on the post in front of her house, taunting her as he started to walk, " Hurry up, chibi-chan! At this rate, we'll get late because of your short legs!" He didn't hesitate to take long strides and that made her panic a bit because of he leaves her, she'll get lost. She was still new to the neighborhood.." W-Wait for me, Kei-kun! Hachi, Yuki! Take care of the house, okay?" She told_ _them while hastily locking the door._  
  
  
  


 _She ran and caught up to the tall blonde boy, bumping his arm playfully._ _"Mou! You're so impatient, Kei-kun." Kei didn't miss a beat to retort, " You're so slow, it'll take us years to walk to school." (Y/N) just pouted at the boy before starting a conversation. They walked through a park and saw a commotion: three boys surrounding a boy on the ground. She was concerned so she tugged at the sleeve of Kei's purple hoodie before dashing towards the scene._  
  
  
  


_"You've got a lumpy face, Tadashi."_   
  


_"Why are you so puny?"_   
  
  


_"You've got to bulk up to carry all of our bags." Three boys laughed as they dropped their bags on the poor freckled boy's face. Then he started to tear up, causing his bullies throw more insults._   
  


_"Seriously? You're crying?"_

_"He cries about everything."_

_"You crybab-"_   
  
  
  


_"Hey, stop that!" A (h/c) haired pushed them away to go kneel on the ground beside the crying_ _boy. She gazed at him with concerned (e/c) orbs and gave him her handkerchief before looking up with a glare towards his bullies. "Bullying other people is bad, " she told them while rubbing the crying boy's back gently._  
  
  
  


_The bullies blushed at the sight of the cute girl before the leader cleared his throat. " S-So? What can you do, huh, girly?" he mocked the girl with a blush still present on his face. She was about to retort when the freckled boy turned his attention to the boy's backs, making her smile at her friend. The bullies turned too and saw the tall blonde boy with glasses sneering at them._   
  
  
  


_They all turned their attention to him and the leader urged him, "What're you looking at?!" He felt a tug on his shirt and faced his friend who whispered, "Hey, isn't he a sixth grader?" They were intimidated by his height (Well, who wouldn't? Their eye level barely reached his chest)._   
  
  
  


_The leader shook him off his arm. "No, he's just from class 3," he said while the blonde continued looking down at them._ _Then he smirked down them before saying," Pathetic." He started walking away, leaving all of them dumbfounded except for the (h/c) haired girl._ _The leader of the bullies chased the blonde._  
  


_"What'd you mean?!"_   
  


_"Hey! Wait a minute!" He pulled on the strap of the blonde boy's bag, making him turn around and look down at him._ _"What?" he asked, leaning down quite a bit and successfully intimidating the bully when he took a step back from him._  
  


_He couldn't answer so he escaped. "You're lame, megane! Baka! Baka! Baka!" He shouted while running away, causing the blonde to laugh._ _"H-Hey! Wait a sec!" The other bullies ran after him, afraid to be left with the tall blonde. He stopped laughing as soon as they're out of earshot and turned around, continuing his walk to school._  
  


_The (h/c) haired girl wiped the freckled boy's tears away and helped him stand up. She held her hand out and introduced herself, " I'm (Y/N). What's your name?" The freckled boy took the shorter girl's hand and shook it._   
  


" _M-My name is Yamaguchi Tadashi. You can call me Tadashi.. Thank you for helping me," he thanked her bashfully. He couldn't believe he let a pretty girl see him cry and give him her handkerchief. The bullies and Kei were right; he was pathetic. The girl shook her head, saying it's not a problem before waving goodbye to the boy because when he turned to her tall friend, he was already-well, almost a dot from her position._  
  


_" No worries! I'll see you later at school, Tadashi-kun!" (Y/N) picked up her bento boxes and ran to catch up to her tall friend, shouting, "Kei-kun, wait for me! Waiittt!"_   
  
  
  


_The freckled boy stared at the back of his two saviors as they walked to school. Then he noticed the handkerchief in his hands, thinking if he saw her once again, he'll return it nice and clean of snot. He's ashamed of himself for not thinking twice before wiping his face and blowing into her handkerchief; the fact that it smelled like the girl he just met added fuel to the fire._   
  


_"Oi, chibi-chan. What's your class?" Kei asked. The girl furrowed her brows in thought before grinning up at the boy._ _"I'm in the same class as you! " she giggled. Once they reached the school, (Y/N) just stuck close to Kei while eyeing the surroundings and some kids playing and doing who-knows-what._  
  


_They went in the classroom from the back door so no one noticed them yet. Kei placed his bag under his seat and sat down on his chair at the back located on the left corner of the room by the window. (Y/N) looked around if someone owns the chair beside her tall friend but there was no bag so she assumed no one was sitting there, but she still decided to ask._   
  


_"Hey, Kei-kun. Is this seat taken?" she asked him. He looked at her and then looked down at the book he took out of his bag. It was all about dinosaur facts._

_"No one wants to sit with me. I told you, they're all cowards," He said. The girl frowned, but immediately smiled, telling him," I'll sit beside you, then! " She giggled and sat beside him, putting her bag and bento boxes under her desk_   
  
  
  


_After a few glances over his shoulder to read some of the dinosaur facts, the teacher soon arrived and ushered everyone to sit down._ _"Good morning kids!~ We've got a new student here today. Please kindly go to the front and introduce yourself to the class," The teacher announced. (Y/N) stood up, glancing at Kei who was too engrossed with his dinosaur book to even pay attention to her._  
  


_She gulped before walking to the front to introduce herself._ _" Nice to meet you, I'm (L/N) (Y/N) desu! Please take care of me," She shyly said and flashed a smile to the class, fiddling with her fingers behind her back._  
  
  
  


_"Uwahh! She's so pretty!"_

_"Her voice sounds so cuteee!"_

_"I wish she sits next to me."_   
  
  
  


_"Shh, quiet now, children. Okay, (L/N)-chan. You can call me Shiomi-sensei, you can go seat anywhere you like." The (h/c) haired girl thanked her and began to walk to her seat when a hand stopped her._ _"(L/N)-chan, sit beside me. No one sits here," A brunette girl said. She shook her head and refused her politely, saying, "I'm sorry, but I already have my seat. But, thank you anyways."_  
  
  
  


 _She went to her seat beside Kei._ _"Why didn't you sit beside her, chibi-chan?" He asked, arching a brow. She hummed before giving a cheery reply, " Well, I want to sit beside you, Kei-kun!!" Their classmates, including Shiomi-sensei turned their heads when they heard her say 'Kei'. They haven't warned her about him yet, that he doesn't want to be called by his first name._  
  


_"(L-L/N)-chan..I don't think you should call him that.." her seatmate whispered to her. The girl creased her brows in confusion before turning to Kei with a tilt of her head._ _" Hey, Kei-kun. Can I call you Kei-kun?" she asked the boy, interrupting him from reading his book. Their classmates sweated nervously while Shiomi-sensei awaited for his reply, gulping at what his reaction was gonna be. Even if she was older than the blonde, she couldn't help but be a little intimidated because aside from he's almost as tall as her, he was too smart and blunt for his age._  
  
  
  


 _Kei glanced at (Y/N) from the corner of his eyes before saying,_ " _You already are, chibi-chan." and going back to reading. All of their classmates, including their sensei sighed in relief and shared the same thoughts, 'He didn't glare at her and she even let her call him by his first name.. Is this a miracle?'_  
  


_Lunch break came and (Y/N) took her lunch from under her desk and put her chair in front of Kei's desk. Kei looked at her and shrugged, taking out a small clear tupperware and placed it on his desk. He opened it and the girl's (e/c) hues widened as she gasped. "Kei-kun! Strawberry shortcake is not lunch! You should eat a proper lunch!" she scolded the boy._   
  
  
  


_The boy's eye twitched and he replied to the girl_ _,_ _"Well, weren't you listening earlier? I didn't wake up my mom so she didn't get up early to make me lunch." He was about to put a piece of the cake in his mouth when the girl pulled his fork away and pushed the cake to the side._  
  


_"You need to eat properly, Kei-kun! You're lucky I made too much." She pouted at the boy and gave him the other bento box. She opened both of their boxes and then gestured for him to eat. He thanked her for the food with a nod._   
  
  


_"Itadakimasu." They started eating the lunches that she made and Kei absolutely loved her bento. He knew that she knows how to cook at such a young age but he could almost see himself favoring her cooking more than his mother's in the future.. A few moments of the (Y/N) asking him how her bento tasted and him replying 'normal' every single time, three girls in their class went to her side and tapped her on the shoulder, making the both of them turn their attention towards them._   
  


_"(L-L/N)-chan, would you like to have lunch with us?" A girl asked her. She was about to respond but Kei answered for her._ _"Are you girls blind? She's already having lunch with me," Kei said in a bored tone while he continued to eat._  
  


_"Sorry girls.. But maybe, you can have lunch with us?" (Y/N) asked hopefully but then, was disappointed when the girls quickly shook their heads and waved goodbye to her._   
  


_She let out a huff before turning to her friend. "Kei-kun! You should be nicer to them. They're girls and you're not making any friends at this rate." He just shrugged. He could care less._ _"I don't need them. I already have you, chibi-chan." The (h/c) haired girl blushed a little at the unexpected reply and grinned to herself before scolding him again about being mean to girls-or just everyone besides his family, in general._  
  


_"Sugoi, Kei-kun!~ You play volleyball?" The girl inquired, walking beside the male._   
  
  


_" Hmm, yeah. Nii-chan plays too and he's the ace," he proudly told the girl. The girl's eyes just sparkled in amazement, remembering that Akiteru's school is a powerhouse so it's hard just to even be a regular._   
  
  
  


_"I'll go tell the coach that you'll watch us." (Y/N) nodded as she followed Kei to the entrance of the gym where she saw a familiar boy._ _"Tadashi-kun! What are you doing here?" She asked to make sure, standing beside the freckled boy at the gym's entrance. Kei passed by them and entered the gym._  
  


_"Ah.. uhm!" He stuttered loudly, causing Kei to turn around and widen his eyes when the freckled boy bowed._ _"Thank you for the other day!" Kei raised his brow_ _before_ _asking_ , _"Have we met?"_  
  
  


 _(Y/N) gasped and slapped his arm playfully._ _"Kei-kun! We saved him a while ago in the park!"_  
  
  
  


_The boy let out an 'oh' before questioning him, "So what are you doing here?" Tadashi fiddled with his hands as he responded, "I wanted to play some kind of sports.. There are a lot of scary guys in the soccer and baseball clubs .. But.. this seems safe."_   
  
  
  


_(Y/N) hugged the freckled boy tightly._ _"It's okay Tadashi-kun. We're here to help you." The girl giggled and released the blushing boy. Not only did he forget to bring her handkerchief, he also got a hug from her. He'll repay her kindness someday. They conversed a bit and Kei boasted about his brother, (Y/N) just nodding in agreement and giggling at certain times._  
  
  
  


**_ (Timeskip to when they're in middle school..) _ **   
  
  


_"Oi, chibi-chan." Kei approached (Y/N) while she was packing their lunches away. In the last few years of being the Tsukishima family's precious daughter, it became a routine for her to make food for two so she could help their mom and let her rest from previous chores. Their mom said there was no need but she couldn't resist her daughter's pleading (e/c) eyes._   
  
  
  


_(Y/N) hummed and tilted her head to the side, gesturing for him to continue. "Let's go to Nii-chan's match tomorrow," he said._   
  
  


_" Okay! Let's go ask Tadashi-kun too!" She told him and stood up, pulled him out of their classroom to go to Tadashi's._ They approached the freckled boy on his seat, calling him at the same time.  
  
  
  


_"Yamaguchi."_   
  


_"Tadashi-kun!~"_   
  
  
  
  
  


_Kei had his hands by his side while (Y/N) waved her hand excitedly with a smile on her face. It was always comical whenever the two of them call him at the same time because the girl's bubbly and radiant atmosphere balanced out the blonde's dull one; while the blonde's voice was monotone, the girl's tone was cheery._   
  
  


_They stood beside Tadashi's desk then Kei asked, "We're gonna go to Karasuno's match tomorrow. Do you wanna come?" Tadashi immediately nodded._   
  
  


_"Aki-nii told us not to come because he'll get nervous. But, we're still coming~" (Y/N) sang. Kei nodded and continued_ , _"Since my brother's a third-year, it'll be his last game in the prefecture."_  
  
  


 _"I'll go! I've never seen Akiteru-kun play!" Tadashi knew all about Akiteru being the ace for a powerhouse school ever since he was their age so he was really looking forward to seeing him play._ _Then all of a sudden, a boy in Tadashi's class butted in their conversation and he asked Kei about his brother's position._  
  
  


_The boy scoffed. "Huh, no way. I saw a match yesterday and no one in the regulars were named Tsukishima." When the boy said that, (Y/N) furrowed her brows and looked at Kei, seeing his expression change slightly. She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly._   
  
  
  


_Kei prompted, "That's not true. I hear about the matches all the time."_   
  
  


_"You can see yourself at the match," The boy said._   
  


_"Yeah. I can." Then, Kei turned around and dragged (Y/N) with him. The girl just waved at Tadashi who was confused._   
  
  
  


_The two went back to their classroom and silently waited for classes to be over. (Y/N) worriedly looked over at Kei who was deeply submerged in his thoughts._   
  
  
  
  


_Classes were over and everyone packed their things while others chatted with their friends either about staying over and having a sleep party or about the new manga they're reading._   
  
  
  


_Kei stuffed his books neatly in his bag, stood up and went out of his classroom. (Y/N) followed and walked beside him."Kei-kun, are you okay?" The girl asked him._   
  
  
  


_He looked down at her and sighed, saying, "What are you talking about, chibi-chan? I'm fine._ _Stop being such a worry wart. " He rolled his eyes at her. She laughed, relieved that he's still himself and started a conversation on their way home._  
  
  
  


 _"Will you have dinner with us, chibi-chan?" Kei asked while looking away. The girl looked at him in surprise, she didn't expect that._ _She thought he was used to her now having dinner with them by now. Did he ask because he thought she wouldn't?Or is he making sure that she_ _**would** _ _have dinner with them? From the way that he was avoiding from looking in her direction and the tip of his ear was red, she knew that he meant the latter._  
  
  
  


 _She smiled gently and replied,_ _"If Kei-kun wants me to, I will." He looked down at her and gave her a small smile while patting her head fondly. She was so cute, he couldn't help himself and her hair was soft too._  
  
  
  


_(Y/N) gasped and grasped his wrists with both of her hands to try and pull it off. "Hey, stop! You'll make my hair messy!" She playfully stuck her tongue out when she managed to slap his hand away._   
  
  
  


_Kei teased her with a smirk, knowing that she'll pout after. "It was already a bird's nest to begin with, chibi-chan." Kei laughed when she did what he predicted she'll do. He wanted to pinch her cheeks but then again, he's not like that._   
  
  
  


_Once they reached his house, they both entered and took off their shoes in the genkan and placed it to the shoe rack at the side. "We're home!" They announced while walking to the stairs to go up to Kei's room._   
  


_"Welcome home, Kei and (Y/N)-chan!" Their mom shouted from the kitchen. The two went up to his room and once they reached it, the girl immediately flopped down on his fluffy bed._   
  
  
  


_(Y/N) yawned, feeling so comfortable in his bed that her eyelids began drooping. "..Kei-kun.. Wake me up for dinner.." she said before hugging a green stegosaurus plushy to her chest and closing her eyes, giving in to sleep. Kei laid down beside her while facing the ceiling and thinking, 'He wouldn't lie to me.. right?'_   
  
  
  
  


_He sighed, shrugging off the his thoughts and turned around to look at the small girl's sleeping face, his worries easing away. He blushed a little when he inhaled the girl's sweet scent. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, pecked her on the forehead, and closed his eyes; swearing to himself that he'll protect her from any harm that comes her way._   
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  


_"Kei-kun! Kei-kun.. Wake up, it's dinnertime!" Someone shook him awake. He opened his eyes and scrubbed it, taking his glasses off first and then putting them on again._   
  


_(Y/N) was pouting as she told him, "Mou~ Kei-kun! I thought you'll wake me up but in the end, I was the one who woke you up! Hmmp." She huffed, blowing air into her cheeks._   
  
  


_Kei rolled his eyes._ _"Yeah, yeah. Let's go and eat downstairs so we can sleep early for tomorrow," he told her as he ruffled her hair. She nodded before they both went down to eat_ _._  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Nostalgic Dream

"Should we wake her up, Noya- _san_?" Someone asked and you felt someone hovering above you. Then you felt another shadow loom over you and heard a sound like someone patting one's back.  
  
  


"We definitely should, Ryuu! It's our job as her _senpai_!" A loud and enthusiastic voice said, which you think was Noya- _senpai_.  
  
  


"No, you don't. Let (Y/N)- _chan_ sleep a bit more."

"But Chikara, she's so cute-"  
  


"Ennoshita- _kun_ 's right, Nishinoya. Leave her be."  
  
  
  


You slowly opened your (e/c) eyes as you heard the voices arguing. Once you opened them, you saw four people crowding you and the others were picking up some balls. On the other hand, your childhood friends were leaning on the wall, drinking water and wiping their sweat away with the towel around their neck.  
  
  


You sat up slowly, still hugging the black fabric to your chest. They noticed, all turning to you and instantly halting all the sounds in the gym. You wore the black jacket, blinking owlishly before mumbling, "..N-Noya- _senpai_? Tanaka- _senpai_?" Then, you rubbed your eyes cutely with your hands that was now covered by the sleeves of the jacket.  
  
  


Both of your _senpai_ synchronously put their hands on their chests like an arrow was shot through their hearts and tears were decorating the corner of their eyes. "Uwah!~ (Y/N)- _chan_ , you're so cutee!~"  
  
  
  
  
  


They were about to pounce on you but Ennoshita and Suga held onto the back of their shirts. You blinked in confusion and scanned the gym before going down the stage to the direction of the wall, approaching your childhood friends leaning against it.   
  
  
  


You approached the blonde male, chirping,"Kei- _kun_ , I've dreamt about you!" You wrapped your arms around his torso, burying your face into his stomach (R: Yeah, you're that short here, sorry). Unbeknownst to you, all of the males were blushing, and some even had a little nosebleed because of their _inappropriate_ thoughts. You lifted your head up and looked beside you.  
  
  


You smiled at the freckled boy ,"You too, Tadashi- _kun_." You unwrapped one of your arms from the blonde boy and wrapped it around the freckled boy."E-Eh?! (Y-Y/N)- _chan_?!" Tadashi blushed and stiffened in your embrace.  
  
  
  


"Group hug!!!" Noya shouted and began to run towards the three of you, hugging you from the back while squishing his cheeks with you. Others began to join while others were reluctant and were forced like Kageyama. You giggled and gently wriggled out of their sweaty grips, "G-Guys! You're all so sweaty! Mostly you, Noya- _senpai_!"  
  
  
  


He complained with a pout, "But, (Y/N)- _chan_ -" you cut him off, smiling, "I'll give you a proper hug when you finish showering, Noya- _senpai_ ~" You told him, causing your _senpai_ to immediately sprint out the gym and to the shower rooms.  
  
  


"N-Noya- _san_! Wait for me! (Y/N _)-chan_ , count me in too!" Tanaka said before running off and following Nishinoya.  
  


Suga sweat dropped. "(Y/N)- _chan_ sure knows how to get them worked up. We'll go shower now too, (Y/N)- _chan_." Then he went out with the others, chatting happily. All of the first-years were left with you and there was silence for a few seconds before Hinata broke it by asking," _Ano_.. (Y/N)- _chan_. W-What have you dreamt about?" he was twiddling with his fingers nervously because he could feel glares thrown at him.  
  


Kageyama hit his head, making him flinch in pain. "Hinata, you dumbass! Don't ask her that!" he scolded him. You blinked at the two who were bickering and replied, "Oh.. Just _childhood memories,_ " You replied to Hinata's question and smiled, nostalgia hitting you. All of them looked at you and blushed because of your warm (e/c) hues and the soft smile painting your pink lips.  
  


"W-We'll go to the shower room now, (Y/N)- _san_." Kageyama bowed quickly before dragging Hinata with him. You waved goodbye to them and looked at your childhood friends. Tadashi flashed you a smile before turning to face Kei, apologizing, " _Gomen_ , Tsukki. I'll head to the shower room first, okay?" Then he dashed out of the gym. The blonde male's amber eye twitched when he realized his friend did that on purpose.  
  
  
  


He messed up his hair and sighed before looking down at the (h/c) nette who was tilting her head cutely at him.  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_? Aren't you going to shower?" You asked him. Kei just sighed again and glared at you, saying, "It's none of your business, _chibi_ - _chan_." He looked away from you and slid down the wall, sitting on the floor.  
  
  
  


You sat down beside him and leaned your head on his arm. He complained, but didn't move you from your position." Are you coming with us to the training camp?" He asked you and you responded with a nod. "I'll go cheer you guys on and cook for you as usual!" You told him.  
  
  
  


"You know that you don't have to come, right? You aren't really in the volleyball club," he told you. You pouted, lookin at him with your puppy eyes. " You don't want me to come? You're such a meanie, Kei- _kun_!"  
  
  
  


He clicked his tongue. " That's not what I was talking about. The camp will be held in Tokyo." Your shoulders tensed up. You knew what he meant. Tokyo to you, brought back memories; the painful ones. You didn't know but tears formed in your eyes and slowly started cascading down your face.  
  
  
  


You went stiff and quiet so Kei looked down at you, only to be sent mentally panicking. He turned his body to face you, cupping your face and tilting it upwards. "Oi, stop crying, _chibi_. You look ugly when you cry," he said as he wiped your tears away and looked into your (e/c) irises. He honestly thought you still look beautiful with tears in your eyes, but it made his heart ache to see you sad.  
  
  
  
  


Instantly, your mood skyrocketed." So.. Kei _-kun_ thinks I'm pretty when I don't cry?" Your were sparkling as you glomped him, nuzzling your face into his chest. Kei chuckled, "I said no such thing. You're probably hallucinating, _chibi-chan_." He ruffled your (h/c) tresses fondly, thinking _, 'At least she's not crying anymore..'_ as the corner of his lips twitched up a little bit.  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_!~ Give _senpai_ a hug!~ I'm finished showering!" Someone ran in the room and Kei immediately, but gently pushed you off him and stood up to go out of the gym. He doesn't want them to see him so soft for you even though it was already obvious.  
  
  
  


You blinked and found yourself lifted up into the air by Noya. "Noya- _senpai_!~ Let me downnn!" You giggled as he spun you around. He placed you down and you hugged him tightly.  
  
  
  


Someone yelled as they went into the gym. "You're unfair, Noya- _san_! It's my turn! " You let go of Noya and hugged Tanaka, saying, "All is fair, Tanaka- _senpai_ ~" After that, the duo fainted and laid on the floor.  
  
  
  


"We can die peacefully now," they said and wiped a tear at the corner of their eyes.   
  
  
  
  
  


" E-Eh?! Noya- _senpai_? Tanaka- _senpai_?!" You knelt beside them and shook both of their shoulders.  
  
  
  


"Pfft. Leave them be, (Y/N)- _chan_." Suga laughed and dragged the boys up to stand. The second-year duo snapped out of their trance and looked at you seriously, grabbing your hands. "As your _senpais._. we'll treat you to ice cream, (Y/N)- _chan_!" Suga scolded them about casually holding a lady's hand and karate-chopped them on the head, but you said it was okay.  
  
  
  


"Now, now. Stop making too much noise, it's already late." The second-years yelped and turned slowly, only to be met with Daichi's hollow eyes, causing them to run out of the gym with their things.  
  
  
  


"Let's get ice cream some other time, (Y/N)- _chan_!" They yelled, making the rest of the second-years sigh and follow them, saying their goodbyes.  
  
  
  


"We'll go ahead now too, (L/N)- _san_. We hope to see you at the day of the practice match. Thank you for continuing to support us." Daichi bowed and went out of the gym with only Suga and Asahi because Shimizu went home early.  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan,_ aren't you going home yet?" Hinata asked and tilted his head." I'll walk you home, (Y/N)- _san_. Its already late,"Kageyama offered with a little blush.  
  
  
  


Kei suddenly appeared beside you with your and his things on his shoulder, telling him to back off in his own way. " No need to do that, king. I'm walking _chibi_ home as always." He dragged you away by the wrist before the duo could even utter a word.  
  
  
  


"Tsukkii! (Y/N)- _chann_!" Tadashi caught up to you guys and walked beside you.  
  
  


"Shut up, Yamaguchi."  
  
  


"Hey, Tadashi-kun~" you and Kei both said at the same time, causing him to click his tongue. Tadashi just chuckled before waving goodbye and going into his street.  
  
  
  


" _Ki o tsukete,_ Tadashi- _kun!_ " you told him as you waved back.  
  
  
  


Afterwards, you slowed down and Kei noticed you weren't walking beside him so he turned back to look at you, asking, " What?"  
  
  
  
  


" I.." you yawned before continuing, " .. feel sleepy, Kei- _kun_." He looked down at you incredulously and stopped walking. "Seriously? You slept like a log the whole day, _chibi-chan_ ," he reminded you. You pouted at him, wearing your puppy eyes. No one could resist your puppy eyes and he was no exception. He rolled his eyes for easily giving in and sighed, squatting down in front of you.  
  
  
  


"Hurry up before I change my mind, _chibi._ " he was getting impatient and he didn't want anyone from school to see him even though the possibility is low. You grinned, proud of your successful attempt before climbing onto his back. He gripped on your thighs securely, trying to ignore the fact that he was touching your soft skin and how smooth it was; also trying to control his teenage boy mind with all the hormones going on.  
  
  
  


On the other hand, you made yourself comfy and wrapped your arms around his shoulders, nuzzling your face into the crook of his neck.   
  
  
  


" _Arigatou_ , Kei- _kun_.." You mumbled under your breath before drifting off to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Ki o tsukete - Be careful


	5. On the Way to the Training Camp

You furrowed your brows in thought as you tried to solve a certain math problem. You weren't bad at math, you just couldn't understand how to solve it most of the time. You groaned and gave up, planting your face into your folded arms on your desk. You heard a snicker in front of you so you craned your neck to glare at who it was.  
  
  
  


"That's very easy. _Chibi_ can't handle big problems like that, no?" Kei said after he scanned the papers scattered on your desk and smirked down at you before going back to his seat and putting his headphones on and looking outside the window.  
  
  
  


You stood up, your chair scraping against the floor loudly."Kei- _kun_. Kei- _kun_!" You called while going to his seat, tugging on his sleeve once you were beside him. He looked at you mildly irritated and let out a _'what'_ as he pulled his headphones down. You gave him a pout with matching puppy eyes and grinned internally when you saw him fidget a bit.  
  
  
  


"Hey, Kei- _kun_.. If you think it's easy, then you wouldn't mind teaching me, right?" His will started to waver slightly but then he looked away and shook his head, refusing to give in to you. " Go find someone else to tutor you, _chibi_. I'm sure you'll find one willing to," he told you as he wore his headphones again and started ignoring you. It was true, everyone adored you so he's sure it's easy to find someone who'll teach you.  
  
  
  


You pouted before an idea struck you. Your crying face always made him succumb to your desires. You laughed internally, thinking, ' _Maybe I should become an actress if this succeeds..'_ before deciding to move your chair in front of his, staring at him intently. He felt you staring but he was keen on ignoring you.. but then, you sniffed and since you were near him, he flinched and turned to look at you; seeing tears run down your face. _(Unbeknownst to him, it was crocodile tears)_  
  
  
  


You knew him for years so you knew that he was panicking despite his scowling expression. But you didn't know _why_ he was panicking. He pulled down his headphones and wiped your tears away with his hand. "Oi! Don't cry, _chibi_. Your face looks disgusting with snot on it," he said with a visible cringe. Then he added, " You're going get me scolded by Yamaguchi and Sugawara-san." _Oh, so that's why.._  
  
  
  


You narrowed your (e/c) orbs to slits, saying, "Teach me and I'll stop crying." You know that he'll succumb to your requests any minute now. He sighed in exasperation and messed up his blonde hair _._  
  
  
  


_'Damn. She got me,'_ he thought. " Fine. Consider yourself lucky that I agreed. I just don't want to get an earful from the others." You cheered and went up to get your things on your desk to start your study session with the blonde.  
  
  
  
  
  


You finally got how to solve it with Kei's help. He was a great teacher to you that you wondered if he'll be one someday. The bell rang, meaning self-study session was done and it was time to go home so you cleared Kei's desk of your things and went to your own to start packing and for the blonde to do the same.  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_ , Tsukki! Practice was cancelled," Tadashi announced as he went into your classroom, panting and catching his breath. You tilted your head in question, asking him, "Why? Shou- _kun_ and Tobio- _kun_ must've taken it hard.."  
  
  
  


Tadashi shook his head and smiled at you. "No, they're doing fine. The practice was cancelled so we get to pack our things and sleep early for tomorrow." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Your brows met in confusion, repeating his words, "Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?"   
  
  
  


You zipped your bag up before standing up. Kei snickered while standing up with his bag on his shoulder and began teasing you, "Did your brain forget what tomorrow is just because of an easy math problem?" You puffed your cheeks and hit his arm playfully.   
  
  
  


" _Mou_ ~ just tell me. And I already got it right!" He rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. You and Tadashi stared at each other for a while before sprinting out of the classroom and running up to the tall blonde male.   
  
  
  


As the three of you walked out the school gates, you tugged at Kei's sleeve, ordering him to tell you what tomorrow is and puffed your cheeks unconsciously. He leaned towards you and then stifled his laughter with his hand." Oh, it seems like we have a little squirrel here. Are you hungry, squirrel- _chan_?"  
  
  
  


"Tsukki, be nice!" Tadashi scolded his friend.  
  
  
  


"Don't call me that, Yamaguchi." Kei clicked his tongue and started walking faster. When he was quite at a fair distance away, you asked your friend," Squirrels are cute, right, Tada- _kun_?" you asked, pondering with your pointer finger on your chin, but then, you abruptly turned to him with sparkling (e/c) hues. " Kei thinks I'm cute, Tada- _kun_!!" He smiled fondly, responding in a whisper, " He always think you're cute _too_ , (Y/N)- _chan_. "  
  
  
  


When the two of you saw Kei walking further away, you both ran towards him. You talked animatedly to Tadashi before bidding him goodbye when you passed by his street. You looked at Kei, only to see the him wearing a blank expression as always.  
  
  
  


You remembered that you still don't know what the occasion tomorrow is so you asked him,"Kei- _kun_.. Can you tell me what tomorrow is?" He rolled his eyes and said, " It's your fault for being _so_ forgetful. You shouldn't stay up late and-" You were about to counter but then he added, "I'm coming over at yours later, _chibi_."  
  
  
  


Kei entered his home after that, leaving you dumbfounded as you unlocked your door with your keys and opened it. You took your shoes off by the door way. "I'm home.." You announced to no one in particular. You were always hoping the day where you'll hear your mother's voice once again, it's been so long and you were scared because you don't even remember it.   
  
  
  


Submerged in your thoughts, you didn't hear the pitter patters of paws meeting the hardwood floor but you saw who it was so you knelt down and opened your arms for your fully-grown Akita dog, greeting him,"Hachi! How are you? Hahaha- you know that tickles!" You hugged the dog who was licking you. You scanned around and found no signs of your other companion.  
  
  
  


"Where's Yuki, Hachi?" Just as you asked that, you felt someone rubbing up on your side. You looked beside you and petted your cat's soft white fur. You stood up and put your hands at your waist before chirping, "Are you guys hungry?" As though they understood you, they meowed and barked at the same time, going to the kitchen before you. You giggled and followed them. You opened a can of dog food and put in Hachi's bowl. You did the same to Yuki's before stretching your arms over your head.  
  
  
  


Then, you went up to your room to take a quick shower before changing your clothes to an over-sized long-sleeved shirt and cotton shorts. Afterwards, you went down to the living room only to look at your dog and cat cuddling on the floor. You were jealous, you wanted to cuddle with someone too.   
  
  
  


"Maybe, I should have a movie marathon since tomorrow's a weekend." You nodded to yourself and put on ' _The Good Dinosaur_ '. You laid on the couch and watched for a few minutes before Yuki pounced on you and nuzzled her head against your face while pawing at your chest. You just petted her before you felt your eyelids close.  
  
  
  


You opened your eyes and blinked at the glowing stars stuck on the ceiling of your room.  
You knitted your brows in confusion until you heard the soft breathing beside you. You turned around and saw a familiar blonde with his back towards you, sleeping soundly.  
  
  
  


_' He must've carried me up again'_ you thought while you slowly crawled out of bed and looked at the bag in front of the door; at a sticky note stuck on it. You tiptoed to the bag and knelt down, reading the note.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  


_**I packed your things up for you, chibi, since you so oh-so-kindly slept on me and left me to do the packing. Wake me up by 4 am if I'm not up yet and be ready by then, hopefully.** _

* * *

You opened the front zipper of your bag to see all your sanitary things: your shampoo, soap, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. You opened your bag further and took the clothes out one by one to scan them:(short-sleeved/long-sleeved) shirts with your favorite print on them, some jean shorts, leggings, a hoodie, your pj's _(an over-sized shirt and cotton shorts),_ your fuzzy socks and slippers, and lastly... your underwear.  
  
  
  
  
  


"If you're wondering if I looked at them, I did." You flinched and turned your head towards your bed, where Kei was sitting and watching you. He smirked when he saw a small blush on your cheeks so he decided to tease you, "I didn't know you liked lace _, chibi-chan_."   
  
  
  


You blushed harder and turned around to stuff your things inside your bag haphazardly. "M-Mom bought them for me. She said I should start wearing them 'cause I'm growing up," You stuttered, obviously embarrassed. Kei cleared his throat awkwardly and spoke up, "Go take a bath, _chibi-chan_ , or else, we're going to be late." You nodded quickly and left the room to shower.  
  
  
  


"She didn't take her clothes.." Kei muttered as he remembered the night before while waiting for her to finish bathing.  
  
  
  
  


* * *

_He rang the doorbell for the umpteenth time before getting his key out and unlocking (Y/N)'s door. He closed and locked it behind his back, dropping his bag by the genkan before taking off his shoes._   
  


_He heard a bark and a meow simultaneously in the living room so he went there and saw the (h/c) haired girl sleeping while the end credits of 'The Good Dinosaur' played. He sighed and ran his hands through his blonde locks, sighing in exasperation._ " _Seriously, chibi? Hachi, why did you let her sleep?" He asked the dog who just wagged his tail excitedly. He groaned and picked you up after turning off the tv._  
  
  
  


_Then he went up to your room and laid you down on the bed, looking away when he saw your bra peeking out from underneath your over-sized shirt. He placed the covers over you and sighed in relief. But that was only until his eye twitched in annoyance when he realized that you didn't pack your things yet._   
  
  
  


_He went to your bathroom to get your sanitary things and put them in front of your bag. He went to your closet and pulled out clothes that you would usually wear and folded them before neatly stuffing them into your bag._ _He went to the drawers of your closet to get the final things he needed to pack. He told himself not to look and just grab anything. But when he felt the material underneath his hand, he lost his will to not look. He blankly stared at the lacy materials in his hand._  
  
  
  


_An image of your soft (s/c) skin bare with only the lacy material as protection appeared in his mind. He cursed and tilted his head down, blood dripping from his nose._   
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


" Kei-kun? Its your turn, I'm done." Your voice rang out as you looked at Kei who seemed to be in a daze. You crossed your arms and stood in front of him. It seemed to slip off your mind that you were only wearing a towel. His stare lingered on you, specifically, on your chest area before rushing out of your room.  
  
  
  


You shrugged your shoulders and went to your closet to get some clothes. You unwrapped the towel and wore your undies. You decided to wear your shirt and jean shorts along with your rubber shoes.  
  
  
  


You went downstairs to make breakfast and saw that Kei was already changed into his gym attire with his jacket on, sitting down in the living room with a towel around his neck.  
  
  
  


You went to him and gently dried his hair for him. "What's today again?" you asked, despite seeing his attire and remembering what today was. He grunted and narrowed his eyes at you before responding, "It's the day of the training camp." You finished drying his blonde hair and went to the kitchen to cook breakfast.  
  
  
  


He followed you and sat on the chair, leaning his head on his palm that was on the dining table. "Does mom know? I'm worried for leaving Hachi and Yuki behind for days..." You muttered as you made French toast. "She told me she'll look after them," he assured you. You nodded as you set the plate of French toasts on the table. The two of you thanked for the food before the both of you began eating.  
  
  
  


Once you said your goodbyes to your animal companions, you both set off to school where the bus is. You started a conversation with Kei along the way and started to tell him to give his all, to which he clicked his tongue and looked away. There was silence for a bit before you remembered where you were going. You pushed it back to your mind but as you neared school where the bus will be taking you to Tokyo, to your place of birth, fear started to bubble at the surface.  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_.. I.. I don't know what to do.." You frowned and clenched your fists as you walked beside him. He stared at you from the corner of his eye and let you continue," I want to visit my mother, but I'll probably see my father since he's a doctor there. I know I talk to him by phone, but it's different when we see each other.. I want to see the both of them so bad, but I can't."  
  
  
  


You blinked your tears away and reached out for Kei's hand. He looked down at you while your lips quivered as you stared up at him. "..I'm scared," you whimpered. He widened his golden-brown eyes and pulled his hand away from you. He hesitantly and albeit awkwardly opened his arms and when you buried your face into his shirt, he trapped you in his embrace. He stroked your silky (h/c) locks and let you cry on his shirt.  
  
  


_'Disgusting'_ he cringed when he felt his shirt wet with your tears (and probably snot).  
  
  
  


**_. . ._ **

The both of you reached school quite early. All of the third-years were already there, chatting with each other. Daichi saw the both of you and went near to pat both of your shoulders. "You two can go find a seat in the bus and set your things down," Daichi told you before going back to stop Suga from patting Asahi's back forcefully while he laughed at something he said.  
  
  
  


You decided to go in first since you were tired from crying and thanked the gods that Daichi didn't notice your puffy eyes. You sat on the seats at the back of the bus by the window and placed your bag on the floor. Then you leaned on the window, feeling your eyelids grow heavy. You vaguely felt the seat beside you dipping a bit before you fell asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. A Distant Relative

_"Hachi, give me the ball!" You giggled as you were tugging the ball out of Hachi's mouth. You both were still playing fetch in your backyard when you suddenly heard your mother call out for you from the sliding doors._   
  
  
  


_"(Y/N), sweetie? Come here." You ran up to her and looked up at her with your little hands stretched out. She chuckled before carrying you into her arms and going to the living room where a small group of people were._   
  
  
  


_You saw two boys with raven hair: one has a messy hair, kinda like a bedhead and the other was shorter (though not as short as you) and was hiding behind him, holding a gaming device in his hand. You approached them when your mother placed you back on your feet and held your hand out to shake hands._   
  
  
  


_"Hi! I'm (Y/N), Nice to meet you~" You chirped and the bed headed boy took your hand and shook it before giving you a grin and dragging the boy hiding behind him in front, also snatching the gaming device out of his hands. The boy locked eyes with you then he adverted his gaze to the floor; staying quiet like the floor was suddenly the most interesting thing to look at. His mother chided him and apologized for his behavior. Your mother just shook her head, dismissing it and still smiling warmly at all of you._   
  
  
  


_Your mother knelt down and placed her hands on your shoulders, starting to introduce the guests,"(Y/N), he's your Kenma-nii. His mother is my second cousin so that makes him your cousin too. Come on, say hi. He's shy." Your mother pushed you gently to the boy. You gave him a smile before giving him the tightest hug that you could muster, which was admittedly not that tight._   
  
  
  


_He_ _tensed before wrapping his arms around you_. " _Nice to meet you, Kenma-nii! I finally get to_ _meet you in person. I heard from Mama that you play games.. Would you like to play with me?" you asked and he pet you on the head as a response._  
  
  
  


_"..I'd love to play with my own flesh and blood. Kuroo here, sucks at playing." His voice was gentle and smooth, hugging you while stroking your (h/c) tresses, like you've known each other for a long time now. You just giggled at his bluntness._   
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"..K..ma..nii.." Kei tilted his head to look at you when he heard you mumble something. Let me explain. When you entered the bus, sat down and dozed off, he took a seat beside you and pulled your head onto his arm, allowing you to lean your weight against him. He didn't mind one bit because you were light as a feather and your warmth felt so comfortable. He put on his headphones _(with no music on because he wanted to hear your cute snores)_ and crossed his arms; giving off the vibe to not disturb him as he looked outside the window, at the sceneries that passed by.  
  
  
  


You snuggled into his arm, clutching at his sleeve weakly as you mumbled in your sleep,"...Ke..nii.."  
  
  
  


 _'Just what or who are you talking about?'_ Kei thought as he grew restless. He sighed in irritation before closing his golden-brown orbs, deciding to take a nap. But a few moments later, he saw a flash in front of his closed eye lids.  
  
  
  


He opened his eyes into narrow slits to peek at who made the flash and saw his annoying _senpai_ , Nishinoya, with a phone and snapping photos of them. Tadashi was also beside him and was trying to stop him but failing. "N-Nishinoya- _san_! Please turn off the flash.." Tadashi whispered, sweating nervously at the second-year's still continuing his antics.  
  
  
  


Noya just chuckled, acting so carefree when he shouldn't be. "It's alright, Yamaguchi. They're sleeping. What's wrong with taking a few pics?" He stopped taking pictures and turned to face him.  
  
  
  


"T-Tsukki is a very light sleeper and—eek!" Tadashi turned blue when he turned to look at the blonde who was awake and glaring menacingly at them. Noya felt it too so he slowly turned around to look. He instantly regretted it and let out a yelp before running towards the front and hiding in his seat; waking up a clueless Tanaka who had drool on the side of his mouth.  
  
  
  


Kei clicked his tongue, peeking down at you to make sure you were still asleep before looking outside the window again.  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  


You felt the warm surface that you were leaning on moving before feeling your head falling down onto another surface.  
  
  
  


" Tsk, I'm going to push her off me. _Chibi-chan's_ heavy, you know?" Kei said but Tadashi stopped him, "Tsukki, you can't do that to (Y/N)- _chan_!! Can't you just carry her?" You heard a sigh before feeling yourself being lifted up into someone's arms. Judging from the familiar scent and warmth, you knew it was Kei.  
  
  
  


"Yamaguchi, carry _chibi_ 's bag. She's already heavy and I have my bags too."  
  
  
  


" Okay, Tsukki! _Just be careful with her_!"  
  
  
  


When they entered the place, Hinata started a fuss and Kageyama scolded him, "Calm down, you dumbass!" You woke up from the commotion and opened your eyes. The first thing you saw being a purple fabric. Then you tilted your head upwards to follow where the fabric ended and were met with someone's neck. You trailed your gaze up more and met golden-brown orbs with yours, but before you could get lost in them, your attention was grabbed by Hinata jumping around to check out the different rooms.  
  
  
  


Kageyama grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt to take him elsewhere.   
  
  


"Stop moving around so much, you dumbass!"  
  
  
  


"But it's my second time at a camp!" Hinata complained as he tried to struggle and kick his way out of Kageyama's grip.  
  
  


  
  
  
  


As you continued to stare at them with dazed (e/c) orbs, your fists unconsciously bunched up Kei's shirt; he raised a brow at you before shrugging his shoulders and complaining, "I don't know what's so exciting about being with these shabby buffoo-" but he was cut off by Tanaka as he came from behind him, "Oi, Tsukishima! You already said that last time and besides, (Y/N)- _chan_ is with us now She was sick last time, remember?"   
  
  
  


He was about to roughly pat his back but halted when he noticed you awake in his arms. Noya joined him in the fun and they stood in front of you, staying still like a statue. You just blinked your eyes slowly at them, still feeling a bit hazy.  
  
  


Then suddenly, they both clutched at their chests, acting like it hurt.  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_! Damn it, why are you so cozy in Tsukishima's arms!"  
  
  


"Come to your _senpai_ , (Y/N)- _chan_! Before you pick up on his bad manners!" Noya jumped to your direction with open arms but Kei dodged, letting him hug the air and faceplant into the floor.  
  
  
  


" Tch. So annoying. " Kei clicked his tongue before going to Shimizu to ask for the directions of the rooms. She told him and he thanked her before walking off with you in his arms.  
  
  
  


"Kiyoko- _san_!" The second-years were about to pounce at her when she dodged and went to the kitchen to start preparing.  
  
  


It was a few moments of fawning over their goddess before realization dawned upon them. "Wait, Noya- _san_.. Why did Tsukishima take (Y/N)- _chan_ to the bedrooms..?" Tanaka asked and looked towards the direction where they went, Noya copying his actions and letting out a hum.  
  
  
  
  


Then they turned their heads to stare at each other before screaming at the same time. "WHAT IS HE GONNA DO TO OUR PRECIOUS _KOUHAI_!? COME ON, RYUU. WE MUST SAVE HER FROM HER IMPENDING DOOM! "  
  
  
  


" _OSU_ , NOYA- _SAN_! LET US GO, ONWARDS!" Tanaka agreed. They bent on their knees a bit, preparing to sprint but before they could take off, two hands pulled at the back of their shirts. They pouted and turned to glare at the ones holding them back.  
  
  
  


"CHIKARA! MY _KOUHAI_ MIGHT BE IN DANGER!" the mentioned male only dragged a struggling Noya to the dining hall.  
  
  
  


Suga did the same to Tanaka."SUGA- _SAN_?! WE NEED TO HELP OUR (Y/N)- _CHAN_!" Suga tried to coax him to calm down, "(Y/N)- _chan_ 's too pure and innocent. Tsukishima wouldn't do something like that.. I hope so," Suga muttered the last part to himself but Tanaka heard it, causing him to lay limp against Suga and cry exaggeratedly.  
  
  
  


It was like a light shone down upon him when Tadashi suggested, "I'll go check up on them. Tsukki wouldn't dare to do something like that to (Y/N)- _chan_." Tanaka had never been so grateful for having such a dependable _kouhai._  
  
  
  
  
  


_**Meanwhile..** _   
  
  
  


You stared up at Kei's face, your eyes closing once in a while because of drowsiness. He opened a door to a room and went inside before locking it behind him. The _futon_ was already prepared so he knelt and carefully set you down. He was still hovering above you because he was about to tuck you in, but unfortunately, he stopped when he felt your gaze on him.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Stop staring at me, _chibi_. You're creeping me out," he told you as he narrowed his eyes while you fluttered yours close, but not sleeping again. You mumbled his name lethargically, " Kei- _kun_.." before opening your (e/c) orbs, seeing him still slightly above you. You tilted your head while looking up at him with a half-lidded stare.  
  
  
  


There was something in his golden-brown eyes that you can't describe as he leaned down next to your ear and whispered, " You were supposed to be supporting us instead of sleeping like a log. Shimizu- _san_ and Takeda- _sensei_ are already cooking. What are you doing lazing around here for, _chibi_?" Your eyes widened and you pushed him off before standing up to open the door.  
  
  
  
  
  


In your hurry, you slammed the door open, shocking Tadashi who was on his way to the room. " (Y-Y/N)- _chan_?" he squeaked as you ran past him to go to the kitchen. He shrugged and went in the room you were just in and saw Kei on the _futon_. He was about to stand up but Yamaguchi's relieved sigh and expression made him pause to furrow his brows.  
  
  
  


"What?" he asked and received a shake of his head as a response. He shrugged his shoulders before standing up and going outside to go back to the others.  
  
  
  


Tadashi just smiled and said, "Tsukki, wait for me!" as he ran to catch up to Kei who told him, "Don't call me that." before he continued to walk.  
  
  
  


" _Gomen_ , Tsukki."  
  


You passed by the dining hall and went straight to the kitchen. You panted, catching your breath and holding onto the wall beside you for support. "K-Kiyo- _senpai_ , T-Take- _sense_ i.. Is there anything I can do to help?" you asked.  
  
  
  


"Oh, (Y/N)- _chan_!" Takeda- _sensei_ greeted you while he continued cutting vegetables. When he was done, he placed the cut veggies into a bowl and gave it to you." We still haven't cooked the curry yet because we were waiting for you, (Y/N)- _chan_ ," he told you and you apologized for letting them wait and nodded quickly. You wore an apron, tied your (h/c) locks into a messy bun, and washed your hands before starting to cook up the curry.  
  
  
  


When the food was finished cooking, you asked some boys to set them up on the table. After that, Shimizu stood by a table offering seconds while you sat between your childhood friends, your figure leaning against the freckled boy.  
  
  
  


"Aren't you going to eat, (Y/N)- _chan_?" Tadashi asked you while he chewed a piece of meat. Kei snickered beside him and he teasingly asked, "Why are you making her fatter, Yamaguchi? _Chibi-chan_ 's heavy, right? You should know, she's leaning on you after all."  
  
  
  


Tadashi waved his hand holding his chopsticks dismissively as he gave his response, "She's actually very light, Tsukki. _I'm worried she's not eating too much._ " He mouthed the last bit to himself but Kei read it pretty well; he was worried at how Tadashi's words held more truth than it should.  
  
  
  


You turned to Kei and opened your mouth, about to tell him to lay off you when he rudely fed you a piece of meat and shoved a plate of food towards your face.  
  
  
  


"Less talking, more eating, _chibi_." Your (e/c) hues shone when he said it and faced the front to avoid your gaze. You chewed the juicy piece of meat and swallowed it before leaning up and placing a kiss on Kei's cheek. It wasn't anything new but it still made him blush, especially since you kissed him in front of his teammates.  
  
  
  


Everything stopped: the bickering of Hinata and Kageyama, Daichi scolding them, and the utensils clacking against the plates. The room was also eerily quiet as everyone stared at you and held their breaths.  
  
  
  


" _Arigatou_ , Kei- _kun_ ~" You pulled away and thanked him before starting to bite into another piece of meat. There was silence for a few moments and then chaos, caused mostly by the second-year duo and Hinata.  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_! Give your _senpai_ a kiss too!"  
  


"Tsukishima, you lucky bastard!"  
  


"A k-k-kissh?!"  
  


"Hinata, you dumbass! It's K-I-S-S, kiss!"  
  
  
  


You swallowed your food and tilted your head as you stared at them. They stopped and stared at you too before their eyes trailed beside you.  
  
  
  


"T-Tsukki?! Are you sick?! Do you have a fever?" Tadashi shrieked and stood up. You turned around to face Kei, leaning closer while you placed your hand on his forehead to check his temperature.  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun!_ You're burning up!" You panicked and were about to fuss over him, but he slapped your hand away and looked to the side.  
  
  
  


Hinata pointed at Tsukishima , announcing, "Ah! Tsukishima's blushing!" Then another chaos occurred. Suga tried to stop them. "G-Guys, just please continue eating before Daich—eek!" Suga turned blue as he turned to look at Daichi who was emitting a dark aura.  
  
  
  


"Shut up and finish your food!" Everyone turned blue as they nod their heads frantically and went back to their seats.  
  
  
  


" _O-Osu_!" Everyone continued eating and had seconds, even Kei _.( R: that's only because he knew that you cooked : >)_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


After dinner, you volunteered to wash the dishes while everyone took a bath. Takeda- _sensei_ refused and pushed you and Kiyoko out of the kitchen." You and Shimizu _-san_ should take a warm bath and rest, I'll be fine!" The two of you bowed and thanked him before walking towards the bath.  
  
  
  


"Kiyo- _senpai_ , are you going to sleep yet? If not, can you please take a bath with me?" You asked her, to which she agreed and smiled fondly at you. You both took a bath and changed into your night clothes, which in your case was an over-sized shirt with cotton shorts underneath. You patted your pillows before laying down and closing your eyes.  
  
  
  


"Goodnight, (Y/N)- _chan_." You heard from Shimizu.  
  
  
  


"Goodnight, Kiyo- _senpai_.." You responded before going to sleep, expecting to have a wonderful dream.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_**And how very wonderful it was.**_


	7. (S) A Distant Relative

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will not affect the current plot of the story, just something like an alternative ending for a certain chapter.
> 
> MATURE CONTENT!! I REPEAT, MATURE CONTENT! Don't read if you don't want to.
> 
> This is my first time writing a lemon so please bear with me. I really, really, don't like writing contents like this, but for you guys.. I guess I can and try to research about these things so I can somewhat meet your expectations? I've read a few other mature scenes just so I could come up with this and I hate myself more because of this.

**_Meanwhile.._ **

You stared up at Kei's face, your eyes closing once in a while because of drowsiness. He opened a door to a room and went inside before locking it behind him. The futon was already prepared so he knelt and carefully set you down. He was still hovering above you because he was about to tuck you in, but unfortunately, he stopped when he felt your gaze on him.

"Stop staring at me, _chibi_. You're creeping me out," he told you as he narrowed his eyes while you fluttered yours close, but not sleeping again. You mumbled his name lethargically, " Kei- _kun_.." before opening your (e/c) orbs, seeing him still slightly above you. You tilted your head while looking up at him with a half-lidded stare.

There was something in his golden-brown eyes that you can't describe as he leaned down next to your ear and whispered, " Stop looking so vulnerable when you're with me. I might take advantage of you." You let out a gasp once Kei nipped at your ear. Then he began to kiss down your jawline, towards your neck.

You placed your hands on his chest, trying to push him off. "A-Ahhno... K.. Kei- _kun_?!" Your eyes widened when he pulled your hands from his chest, holding it above you as he continued to litter kisses on your neck. You turned your head away, trying to make him stop, not really knowing you just let him have more access.

His tongue darted out and began to lick at the base of your neck, biting and sucking into it; making you moan loudly.

" Stop making some lewd sounds, _(Y/N)_.." Kei muttered on your collarbone. You turned your head to look at him, deciding not to let him have his way.

"B-But, Kei _-kun_.. Ngh.. You need to stop—Ahh!" You moaned as he groped one of your breasts, still holding your wrists with his other hand.

He teased you and gave you a smug smirk, "Do you really want me to? Besides, I'm making you mine now, so drop the honorifics." Afterwards, he leaned up to your face and roughly connected his lips with yours. You closed your eyes and stayed still, not responding to his kiss.

He grew irritated when you didn't kiss back so he squeezed your breast in retaliation, making you whimper and move your lips against his hesitantly. He bit on your bottom lip while his hand roamed around your body and slid under your shirt. You shivered from his cold hand against your heated skin while you opened your mouth to let his tongue in. At the same time, his hand that was under your shirt began to massage your breast through your lacy bra; making you mewl into the kiss.

His tongue grazed every nook and cranny of your mouth and sometimes forced your tongue to fight with his. You began to struggle when you were out of breath because he was still pinning your wrists down. When he felt you struggle, he pulled away with a string of saliva in between the two of you.

"K-Kei.. Please stop it.." You panted as you tried to catch your breath. He just smirked before straddling your hips.

"When you say it like that, it doesn't sound convincing to me. It just makes me want you more, (Y/N)~ " He cooed before leaning down and capturing your lips with his, immediately sliding his tongue in. When you were out of breath, he pulled away to let you gasp for air before kissing you again.

His kisses made you feel so weak and hot at the same time so when he let go of your wrists, you couldn't help but to wrap them around his neck; melting into his kiss. He pulled away to take your shirt off of you, starting to decorate your neck by nipping and sucking on it.

Since you were so sensitive and this was the first time you experienced this, you couldn't hold back your moans, "Ahh, Keii! .. Mmmmn.. ahn..!" He suck and bit at every bare skin that he reached, leaving marks along the way before gradually going lower. He trailed wet kisses down to your navel and bit your hip, causing you to whimper at the slight pain. You were starting to get worried when his hands began to fumble around your shorts, pulling it down your legs and throwing it somewhere.

When he pulled away to look at you, you just stared back at him. He was right when he imagined you wearing your lacy underwear, you'd look so sexy. He looked at your features and felt his cock fully jumping to life at the sight: your (h/c) locks were spread around you like a halo, your glassy (e/c) eyes were dark with lust, your cheeks were tinted red, and your lips were a bit bruised and slick from both of your saliva.

As he continued to stare, you felt something hard poking at your thighs. You widened your eyes in panic and tried to push him off, but failing. It's not that you don't want it, you're just scared because you weren't very sporty and that meant your hymen is still intact and will hurt when he enters.

"Damn it, (Y/N). This is your fault. Take responsibility for your actions," Kei said, blaming you before leaning down to roughly kiss you _. ' H-How is it my fault?'_ You thought as you tried to catch up to his pace, your hands clutching his shoulders. A few minutes later, you felt him lift your torso up a little before unclasping your bra. When he pulled away from the kiss, he threw your bra aside; allowing your breasts to bounce free.

You immediately covered yourself from him with your arms and looked away; he grew annoyed. He glared at you while you continued to turn your head away, still covering your breasts with a heavy blush decorating your cheeks. He clicked his tongue when you didn't move and began to slide his hand down to your thighs.

He smirked when he felt you shiver, knowing he already won. Then he began to rub circles on the inside of your thigh, slowly nearing it to your womanhood. Because of embarrassment, your hands reached out to stop his hand and unfortunately, it made you uncover your breasts.

He pinned your wrists above your head again with one hand and took his shirt off before tying your wrists with it. Once he was done, he latched onto your nipple, sucking and nipping at it until it was red and aching before switching to the other and doing the same. You whimpered and mewled, egging him on to fill you with more pleasure.

His ears perked up at the sound of footsteps approaching the room so he covered your mouth with one hand while the other trailed down to your heat, throwing the fabric protecting it aside. When he turned to look at you, he saw your eyes wide and pleading as you shook your head furiously. He gave you a sadistic smirk before beginning to rub your clit. You moaned into his hand and squirmed underneath him.

A knock came from the door, then Tadashi's voice, "Tsukki, are you in there?" Kei hummed as his finger circled around your slit. You shook your head for him to stop, but he just slipped it in and began to move it.

" Shut up, Yamaguchi. _Chibi_ 's still sleeping," he hissed out. He heard an ' _oh_ ' before saying something else. He began to slip another in, making you look up at him pleadingly and shake your head furiously.

"Dinner's almost done, Tsukki," Tadashi informed Kei but he just continued fingering you, getting faster as Tadashi talked. You continued to shake your head, biting your bottom lip under his hand to stop yourself from moaning out loud.

Kei clicked his tongue, wanting Tadashi to leave already so he can hear you. "Just save some for me and _chibi-chan_. I'll wake her up later." Then he added a third finger, curling all of them inside you. You couldn't help but to whimper loudly.

Tadashi was starting to panic so he asked, "Is she having a nightmare, Tsukki?! Do I need to get Takeda- _sen_ -" But Kei cut him off, "It happens often. I know how to deal with it since we slept beside each other when we were kids." He heard him let out a sigh of relief before he told them, "I'll go tell them to save you both dinner, okay, Tsukki?" Kei just let out a hum of approval, letting his footsteps fade away before moving his fingers in and out of you rapidly. He finally removed his hand around your mouth and played with your breasts, pinching and rolling your nipples between his thumb and forefinger while leaving more marks on your neck.

"Ahhn.. Kei—ahh.. I feel—ngh.. weird.. Mmhh! P-Please stop!" You cried out and squirmed under him. He ignored your pleas and made his movements faster. You felt your stomach tighten and were about to scream when Kei kissed you just in time to muffle your sounds of pleasure. He felt you clench around his fingers and your body shake under him.

He took his fingers out of your heat and put them in his mouth, licking his fingers clean and tasting your sweet juices before groaning in delight. He took them out and allowed you to catch your breath but he got impatient so he went down to your womanhood, placing your legs onto his shoulders. You panicked and stopped him, "N-No, Kei! That's dirty! Don't- ahhh!" He lapped at your juices, squeezing your thighs before sliding his tongue into your slit. You let out mewls and moans, feeling the knot in your stomach tighten again. You bit your bottom lip too hard to stop yourself from screaming so a line blood was dripping down your lips.

When you came down from your high, he pulled away from your heat and licked his lips before leaning up and lapping up your blood while kissing you. While the two of you were kissing, Kei pulled off his gym shorts and boxers without you knowing. He knew you were a virgin since he scared away all of the boys who confessed to you; he didn't even let them a meter near you.

He positioned at your entrance, rubbing his tip on your clit. He didn't wear condom because you take a vaccine for birth-control monthly with his mom _(for reasons unknown)._ You pulled away from the kiss and looked down before tearing up and whimpering, "K-Kei.. I'm scared.." He shushed you before untying your wrists, immediately letting you wound your arms tightly around his broad back. He stared into your teary (e/c) eyes, his amber gaze soft.

"Bite my shoulder if you can't take it. I can't stop now," He told you, his voice husky. He pushed the tip in, moaning as he did so.

"Ah-...shit.." he cursed while you screw your eyes shut and bit his shoulder, digging your nails into his back, making him grunt in pain and pleasure.

"Fuck.. I'm pushing it all in." He pushed himself in to the hilt. He hissed in pleasure at your tightness and stayed still, letting you cry and inflict pain onto him. He pulled away to kiss your sweaty forehead and muttered your name softly to calm you down.

A few moments later, he groaned, "Damn it, (Y/N). You're so tight." He can't help but start to move because you felt so good that he can't wait to fuck you hard and elicit those delicious moans from your lips..

" Ahhnn," you moaned softly, feeling the pain turn into pleasure after a few slow thrusts. It wasn't enough to satisfy him so he pulled out, leaving just the tip in before slamming into you over and over again.

"T-Too much—ahhh!" you screamed as he pounded into you, fucking you mercilessly. He wrapped your legs around his waist as he continued his rough thrusts.

You felt so good, you closed your eyes tightly and whimpered, "K-Kei—Ngh.. S-Stop being—ahhn—so rough..!" He just grunted before leaning down to whisper in your ear, "Sorry, but I'm not going to be gentle just because you asked. That's not how the world works, (Y/N)."

He felt your muscles clench around his cock and growled before slamming into you harder. You felt that weird sensation again and it felt so good, you unconsciously tightened yourself around him; causing him curse loudly. He leaned up to kiss you to muffle your screams with his hips not stopping his ferocious thrusts.

Then he suddenly pulled out and turned you around to raise you on all fours. You squeaked and tried to turn your head to see what he was doing but instantly buried your face in the pillow to muffle your screams because your arms already gave up on you. He slammed into your heat from behind, making you feel how deep he's reached.

It felt so good, you were already crying and pleading for him to stop, "P-Plea—Ahh! -Stop! Ahhn! T-Too deep.. ngh..!" A bit of saliva was already leaking from the side of your mouth as you tried to crawl away from him but he grabbed your waist, pulling you closer to him while his other hand reached up and intertwined his fingers with yours. He could feel himself near so he sucked and bit at your neck, his thrusts getting sloppy. " Tsk, I'm near." He cursed when your warm velvety walls tightened around him and you screamed out his name in pleasure. He thrust into you a few more times before thrusting in deep and spilling his seeds inside. He rode out his orgasm with a few more thrusts before oversensitivity crept in; causing him to pull out.

He wiped your and his sweat away with his shirt before turning you on your side and laying down beside you. He kissed your forehead, causing you to open your eyes to stare at his golden-brown ones filled with love.

He cupped your face, brushing his thumb against your cheek before leaning in and kissing you softly, muttering words on your lips, "I love you, (Y/N).." You smiled warmly at him before nuzzling your face into his chest.

"I love you too, Kei.." You replied and closed your eyes, feeling his arms wrap around you.  
  


Tadashi ran back to the dining hall where the volleyball team was. All at once, he was bombarded by questions from Tanaka and Noya.

Noya grabbed Tadashi's arm, screaming, "WHERE'S OUR PRECIOUS _KOUHAI_ , YAMAGUCHI?!" Tanaka grabbed his other arm as he asked, "DID THAT BASTARD, TSUKISHITMA DO SOMETHING TO (Y/N)- _CHAN_?!"

"T-Tsukki said to save them both dinner because (Y/N)- _chan_ is still asleep.." Just when he said that, they heard a scream and the second-year duo was about to run towards it when Tadashi stopped them,"Noya- _san_ , Tanaka- _san_ , it's alright! (Y/N)- _chan_ 's just having a nightmare. Tsukki knows how to deal with it since they've been sleeping beside each other when they were kids.. so don't worry.."

The mentioned males sighed in relief before staring at each other and then at Tadashi, yelling in sync, "HUH?! THEY'VE BEEN SLEEPING BESIDE EACH OTHER?!"

Suga and Ennoshita held them back as Tadashi tried to explain, "Well.. The three of us are childhood friends and (Y/N)- _chan_ had been with Tsukki longer than me. Apparently, they also live beside each other." He gave a sheepish smile while rubbing his nape. It was quiet before Tanaka screamed, "W-WHAT IF THEY BECOME CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS?! WHAT WILL WE DO, NOYA- _SAN!?_ HE'LL TAKE (Y/N)- _CHAN_ AWAY FROM US!" Tanaka knelt down on the floor, looking at it dramatically.

Noya knelt on one knee in front of him and patted his shoulder, making him raise his head up to look at him."Ryuu.. The time has come for us to be the _senpais_ that will support them through thick and thin. WE WILL BE THE BEST _SENPAIS_ THAT THEY WILL EVER HAVE!" Noya proclaimed and held his hand out to him with light shining upon his features.

"N-Noya- _san_.." Tanaka wiped his _'tears'_ and grabbed his hand, then they both shouted in determination at the same time.

"Shut up and sit down! Dinner is ready!" They yelped and listened to Daichi. The others sweat dropping before doing the same.

* * *

"Wake up, (Y/N)." You opened your eyes and looked up to see that Kei was already dressed.

"Kei..?" You slowly sat up before wincing. He noticed and sighed, "Come on, I'll help you get dressed." True to his words, he helped you wear a new set of clothes and lifted you up into his arms after the both of you tried to clean up the mess you made. When everything was in place, he went out of the room and headed to the dining hall.

He stared down at you as he said, "They'll probably be finished eating by now.." You just gave him a nod as a response, not trusting your voice. When he turned to the corner to the dining hall, he was immediately pounced on at by his seniors, but luckily, he dodged easily.

"(Y/N)- _chan_!! You're awake!!" Noya and Tanaka chorused as they stood in front of him. Kei turned to the rest of the dining hall and saw all of the volleyball team staring at them.

His right brow twitched as his seniors continued on asking you questions."Nishinoya- _san_ , Tanaka- _san_. Will you let us eat?" He asked them ' _nicely'_ while smiling and sending a menacing aura. His seniors turned blue before they nodded and let him pass with you.

"Tsukki, here's your food. This is (Y/N)- _chan_ 's." Tadashi said as he set the food down on the table. Kei sat you down on the seat carefully before sitting down himself. You ate quietly but felt uncomfortable with the stares so you tugged at his shirt, letting him know.

"You know, it's rude to stare. Spit it out if you want something," Kei told them as he finished his food. You finished eating too and went closer to him, hiding from the stares.

"(Y/N)- _chan_ , I heard you had a nightmare. Are you okay?" Suga asked worriedly from in front of you. You looked at him in confusion and looked at Kei for further explanation. He stared down at you before sighing and standing up. He carried you into his arms before replying for you, "She didn't have a nightmare. Where did you get that idea?" All of the boys pointed to Tadashi.

He flinched and squirmed in his seat as he explained, "Well.. I-I heard (Y/N)- _chan_ whimper so I thought she..." Tadashi slowly turned blue as he looked at Kei and you.

His eyes caught marks littered on your neck and he gulped before confirming his suspicions, "(Y/N)- _chan_ , are your legs injured? Why can't you walk?" You just shook your head, still in Kei's arms.

Tadashi continued, even though it will seem offending, "Why aren't you talking? And where did you get those bruises on your neck from, (Y/N)- _chan_..?" Your (e/c) orbs widened and you blushed furiously before hiding yourself in Kei's chest, feeling it vibrate from his chuckles.

"Well, I don't think she trusts her voice right now. I might've been too rough for her first time." After he said that with a smug smile, he turned on his heel and went out of the dining hall to head back to bed with you. When realization dawned upon all of them, they screamed in unison,

"E-EHHHHHH?!"


	8. Nightmares of the Past

_"Mama? Will you really let me have a kitty?" You looked up at your mother as she held your hand._   
  


_She looked down at you and smiled._ " _Of course, I did promise you after all. Hachi would be delighted to have a new friend," she said as the both of you entered the pet store. Your (e/c) eyes gleamed in excitement before you pulled on your mother's hand, dragging your mother around the store and scanning the different animals._  
  
  
  


_A few moments of glancing around, you felt someone's stare at the back of your head. You tried to see where it came from, just to be face to face with a white kitten with it's captivating blue and yellow eyes locking on your features. You and the kitten stared at each other for a while before it nuzzled it's head on the glass._   
  
  
  


_You immediately squealed and turned your head to your mother, pulling at her pants. "Can we name her, Yuki? Can we? Can we?" You pouted and wore your puppy-eyes. Your mother chuckled, her (e/c) eyes sparkling in amusement._   
  
  
  


_"Of course, darling. You don't have to use your cuteness on me.. You know I'll give you everything you want.." She whispered the last part because the employee already took Yuki out and allowed you to carry her. You stroked her white fur, making her purr in delight and nuzzle her head against your cheek._   
  
  
  


_You let out a giggle before hearing your mother calling you out from the front desk where she was signing papers, " Sweetie? Can you go find things that Yuki will like? I'll catch up onto you later." You replied yes to your mother and then circled around the store to find what Yuki likes. You got her a simple yet pretty (f/c) collar with a bell, a fluffy cat bed, a few cans of kitty food, a fuzzy ball that looked like a mouse (which is Yuki's favorite toy), a litter box, and a pack of litter sand. The pack was heavy so while you and Yuki tried to push it, you were the ones that fell._   
  
  
  


_Luckily, the employee came to your rescue, "Let me help you with that, dear." You smiled at the her as she took the things you and Yuki picked out before packing them into a box._   
  
  
  


_"Can I have her collar and her toy, please?" You pleaded the employee in which she smiled and gave you what you asked for. You cheered and put Yuki down before kneeling and putting the collar around her neck. She rubbed against your legs, making you giggle because you were ticklish._   
  
  
  


_"I can't wait to let you meet Hachi! I bet that you'll be the best of friends." You poked her pink nose, her eyes looking at you in confusion. After a few flowers, hearts, and giggles, your mother called you out and said you were leaving._   
  
  
  


_You stood up and carried Yuki in your arms. "But what about Yuki's things?" you asked your mother. She just grinned at you before answering your question,_ _"They'll send it to our address later. It's nice of them to let us spend some quality time, ne?"_  
  
  
  


_You both walked out of the pet store and went to your favorite restaurant with Yuki in your hands (Pets are allowed in that place ). Your mother ordered all of your favorite food and ordered one for Yuki and herself too. Then you both talked about random things and played with Yuki, gaining a few awed stares from the other customers because the two of you looked like the most perfect mother and daughter they've ever seen and they couldn't help but to feel their hearts melting at your smile. It was so pure and filled with happiness that they've been infected by it, making them smile too. Others even asked to take a picture with you and Yuki._   
  
  
  


_Once the food came, you ate your (favorite food) happily and saw that your mother was looking at you so you stopped eating and stared at her._ _She smiled at you with soft (e/c) orbs and suggesting, "Let's take a picture on this lovely day and send it to Papa, yeah? He'll be very happy to see his two favorite girls having the time of their lives." You nodded and wiped your mouth with a tissue before sitting on her lap with Yuki in your hands._  
  
  
  
  
  


_Your mother took her phone out and went to the camera. You held up a victory sign and smiled at the camera brightly, your mother doing the same pose as you while Yuki was just staring at the camera_   
  


_*click_   
  
  
  


_"Okay, now let's send this to Papa and continue eating~ " Your mother sent it to your father before the both of you continued eating and finished up your scrumptious drinks and desserts._   
  
  
  


_After eating, you told your mother that you wanted to go to the park so she brought you there. You ran to the swings and sat Yuki down on one of the seats before taking a seat yourself. While you were having fun, your mother took pictures and videos of you. You pushed yourself up while giggling and saying hi to the camera. Once, your mother sent it to your father, she smiled warmly at the sight of you, feeling her stomach churn as if something bad was going to happen._   
  
  
  


_"Kenma-nii was soo cool! He defeated the boss like it was super easy! While on the other hand, Kuroo-nii always died-" you told your mother as she held your hand while the both of you walked out of the park. Yuki was tucked in one of your arms, biting at her favorite toy._   
  
  
  


_When you reached the sidewalk, your mother's phone rang so you let go of her hand to let her answer it._   
  
  
  


_"Oh, Honey?...Yeah... We're on our way home now... You were allowed for three days off? That's great! Wait, I'll tell (Y/N)—sweetie?" Your mother called out for you but you didn't hear her because Yuki ran out of your arms; towards the road where her favorite toy rolled. You ran after her and lifted her up into her arms, scolding her and poking her nose playfully; not minding your surroundings, which was your greatest mistake._   
  
  
  


_"(Y/N), what are you doing there? Come here, Papa's asking you something." You mother started to walk up to you. You turned around and ran towards her before her eyes widened in fright._   
  
  
  


_"(Y/N), watch out!!" You froze at the spot, hearing a car's tires screech somewhere beside you. Your mother dropped her phone and quickly pulled you and Yuki out of the way, the force making you change places._   
  
  
  


_You saw everything in slow motion. When your mother pushed you to safety, you saw her relieved (e/c) eyes and smile before seeing the car colliding with her body. You rolled on the sidewalk from the impact but you wrapped your arms around Yuki to protect her._   
  
  
  


_Once the situation sunk in, you slowly stood up and frantically looked for your mom. You saw her a few feet away from the car where the panicking driver was calling the ambulance._   
  
  
  


_You went to her side and knelt with your (e/c) eyes tearing up. You weren't that smart yet, but you aren't entirely stupid. You knew she was hurt; that it hurts really bad that she can't feel anything anymore. You saw it in a movie you watched once with your parents. Your father works in his hospital so you see the events quite often.. but you never, ever knew it would happen to you and your mother._   
  
  
  


_Yuki went beside you and looked at your mother who was laying in a pool of her blood. You didn't know you were sobbing until they grew louder when your mother opened her eyes and gave you a warm smile as she lifted her hand up to caress your face._ _"(Y/N).. Sweetie, don't cry.. You look prettier when you smile. Smile for me, please?" You wiped your tears even if they kept falling, but tried to give her a smile albeit a shaky one._  
  
  
  


_She turned to Yuki beside you, saying, " Watch over (Y/N) for me, alright?" Yuki meowed while rubbing herself on your mother's arm, not minding the blood that got on her white fur. You leaned your face into your mother's hand, holding it as violent sobs racked through your body._   
  
  
  


_"Remember.. Mama loves.. you...so.. so much.. " she paused, rubbing your cheeks with her thumbs, then continued," I'm so sorry, (Y/N).. My beautiful daughter.. be strong, okay? ..Always .. keep ..smiling, okay? But it's—" her hand suddenly dropped, coughing out blood as she stared into distance before her eyes shut. You cried harder, wrapping your arms around your mother's head and letting out a shrill cry of despair._ _"Mama! Please, open your eyes!" You pleaded her. She didn't even finish what she was about to say. You heard sirens nearing and after a few more wails, you felt someone lifting you away; making you struggle wildly in their arms._  
  
  
  
  
  


_"Let go of me! Let go! Mama needs to open her eyes!" You screamed as you saw them take your mother away and into an ambulance. You tried to kick and struggle out of their arms but it was futile._   
  
  
  
  
  


"Let go of me!! Mama needs to open her eyes!" The team was awakened by your screams. Kei recognized your voice, shot out of his futon and quickly barged in the girl's room. Shimizu was by your side, trying to wake you up but to no avail, you kept screaming and struggling.  
  
  
  


The boys followed Kei into your room, shocked to find you in tears, screaming, and struggling wildly in your bed. All of their hearts broke at the sight.  
  
  
  


"W-What do we do?!" Hinata panicked and pulled on his hair, making the others panic too. Tadashi was also panicking before he looked at Kei who was calm and composed. He knew that he was always like that, but this case was different; it was you and everyone knew how much he cares about you. So why was he indifferent?  
  
  
  


Everyone went silent as Kei went to you and knelt down beside you. Everyone stood still, watching his actions.  
  
  
  


He took ahold of your shoulders and shook you awake. Everyone winced when you let out another scream and tried to push him off but he pinned your arms to the sides of your head before kissing your forehead; gently whispering your name out of his lips. After repeating his actions thrice, he finally felt you stop struggling so he let go of your wrists and sat up.  
  
  
  


After a few seconds, your teary (e/c ) eyes opened and you saw Kei by your side. Your lips quivered as you stared up at him. He looked so tired but when you saw his gentle smile, you abruptly sat up and hid your face in his chest to muffle your sobs and whimpers. You felt him lift you onto his lap and wrap his arms around you; kissing your head a few times and stroking your (h/c) tresses gently to hush you and try to calm you down.  
  
  
  


"Shh.. it's alright, (Y/N). I'm here, you're alright..." He repeated those words until you stopped crying and fell asleep in his arms. He sighed in relief as he laid you down before tucking you in, wiping your tears away, and kissing your forehead. It was uncharacteristic of him but he always was when it comes to you.  
  
  
  


The team was shocked by his kind gestures and was about to cry because of his sweetness before they saw Kei looking at his shirt and cringing. " Ugh, disgusting."  
  
  
  


They facepalmed, thinking he's still Tsukishima Kei so of course, he does that. It was so silent that you'll hear a pin drop. They were still in shock at the sight of the most cheerful and happiest girl they've known looking so broken and depressed.   
  
  
  


Kei sighed again when he felt the atmosphere. "If someone wants to ask something, ask me now. Don't ever, ever, try asking her about it," he growled out the last sentence before someone spoke up. "Is (Y/N)- _chan_ alright?" Suga asked worriedly.  
  
  
  


Kei nodded in confirmation before adding, "She's fine. It's been happening since our childhood days." Suga visibly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. It stayed quiet for a while before Kei clicked his tongue and faced his teammates.  
  
  
  


"You're not asking questions, but it's clearly written on your faces that you need an explanation." All of them immediately nodded, causing him to sigh in irritation.  
  
  
  


"Okay, listen up. I'm not repeating myself and I'll stop talking if one of you cuts me off," he told them. The team glanced at each other before nodding, ready to listen; for once, no one was making a noise.  
  
  
  


"(Y/N) may seem like the most happiest girl alive.. but she definitely went through a lot of pain at such a young age.." Kei turned to face you and brushed strands of your hair away from your face before continuing," None of you knows the whole story, not even Yamaguchi.." The mentioned male was shocked, but stayed silent when he remembered his warning.  
  
  
  


" At the early age of 7, she witnessed her mother getting hit by a car. She went into a coma and is still on life support up to this day and that's only because her father is the one who owns and leads the hospital." Many of them were shocked and Shimizu even covered her mouth. If you think of it, it's utterly painful to wake up each day not knowing your mother's condition: if she was already gone or if she's still barely alive. You were going through something that worst yet still acted like you aren't dealing with anything.   
  
  
  


He held your hand and brushed his thumb against it. "At the age of 7, not only did she lose her mother, she also lost her father. He pushed her away in all aspects and even prevented her from going near her mother's hospital bed; he even blamed it on her and said he didn't want to see her.." He paused before proceeding, "At the age of 7, her father sent her off here to live on her own. Fortunately, she lived beside us and offered us an apple pie that she baked, letting us know her past and making her somewhat a part of our family.."  
  
  
  


Your nose twitched a little, making the corner of Kei's lips twitch up a little because of the cute gesture. "At the age of 7, she lived independently and relied on herself more than others. She doesn't want to depend on others.. besides me and my family, of course.. but most of the time, she just keeps to herself. She relies on me most because... I've been by her side when she needed someone she can rely on, even if it means she's all broken and crying in my arms." Kei winced as he remembered all of your breakdowns.  
  
  
  


He continued, "At the age of 7, she convinced herself that it was her fault for what happened to her mother and despite her smiles at the compliments given to her... She hates herself and wished that she was the one in a coma instead.." He winced, remembering the time when he caught you hurting yourself in your room when you were all alone. He never could forget that sight that sent his world reeling; his chest tightening painfully in fear and his eyes stinging and blurring; wet from his tears. He swore to protect you from harm, but how could he.. when you were the one hurting yourself? He has never been so terrified in his life, except for _that_ very moment.  
  
  
  
  
  


"She's smiling most of the time because that's apparently the last words her mother said to her before she went into coma. She's annoying when she's being childish.. But when you think about it.. She never had a chance to be childish when she was young because she needed to deal with her monthly expenses and do the work around her house all alone.." Kei sighed and stood up, gesturing his teammates to stand up and leave too. He said more than he should, it's bugging him. He didn't want to say more.  
  
  
  
  
  


He went to the door first, about to exit but halted when he heard you whimper his name,"Kei- _kun_.." The volleyball team patted him on the back before leaving and entering their room, some were even wiping their tears away. He sighed again and closed the door before laying down beside you. Your (e/c) eyes fluttered open and as you turned on your side, seeing Kei staring at you with his glasses nowhere to be seen.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Go to sleep, (Y/N). I'm here," he cooed softly as he wrapped his arms around you and tenderly kissed your head. You slid your arms around his midriff and tucked your head under his chin, feeling his warmth radiating off him and onto you. Your eyes slowly fell shut as you felt him run his fingers through your silky locks.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Cat-like Cousin

Once you fluttered your eyes open, you looked around and saw that you were all alone in the room. You shrugged before deciding to go freshen up in the bathroom. When you were done, you went to the dining hall and looked for food. You were about to go to the kitchen to make some but you saw a tray of food covered with a lid. You walked towards the table and read the note on top of it.  
  
  


* * *

**_Eat well (Y/N)-chan. Kiyoko-san and Takeda-sensei cooked this for you. Tsukki helped them too. We're out practicing and we should probably be back by 11._ **

* * *

You smiled at Tadashi's note, thankful for having a friend like him. You took off the lid and seeing what was inside made you drool a bit. It was your favorite homemade food. You began to eat and remembered how you taught Kei to cook it when you were kids.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


_" Kei-kun, be careful! That's not how you cut it-"_   
  
  


" _What are you adding—that's!"_  
  
  
  


_" Kei-kun! That's too much salt-"_   
  
  


_"Kei-kun!!"_   
  
  
  


_" Tch. Can't I just watch? Nothing's going to happen if I'm the one cooking." Kei clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, his lips etched into a frown._   
  
  
  


_You crossed your arms too and puffed air into your cheeks before saying, " It's so you can learn to cook my favorite food! I know how to make yours so it's just fair, hmmph!" You placed your hands at your hips before snapping your fingers when an idea came to mind. You turned to him, making him raise his brow at you._   
  
  
  


_" What?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at you before his gaze softened and his cheeks adorned an adorable shade of pink when you smiled brightly at him._   
  
  
  


_"Let's cook it together then!" You giggled and the both of you started to cook together, step by step and taking your time._   
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Soon, you finished eating and went to wash your plate. After washing, you decided to dress in your outdoor clothes since its almost 10:30 and you assumed that you'll leave the rest house/inn by 12 to go to the place where your team will be having a practice match against Nekoma.  
  
  
  
  


You went back to the girls' room and changed your clothes. When you were about to put on your shirt, you heard your phone ringing. You quickly wore your shirt and dashed to your bag where your phone was. You got it out and answered it without looking at who it was.  
  
  
  


"Hello?"   
  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)..." Your eyes widened and you dropped your phone in shock. You knelt down and saw that your phone's screen was black and cracked; it can't be turned on anymore.   
  
  
  
  


"Papa.." You bit your lip to prevent the whimper that was going to slip out because you broke the only thing you have to remind you of your father. A while back in middle school, your phone was delivered to you in a package with a note that your father gave. All that was on it was,  
  
  


* * *

_**Happy Birthday, (Y/N).** _

\- _**Papa**_

* * *

You didn't hate your father, only the way that he treated you at that time. You knew he was badly hurt and you knew that it was really your fault so you couldn't blame him. You could only blame yourself. You treasured your phone because it was the only thing to connect you to your father.  
  
  
  


He was beyond busy _(managing the hospital and all that)_ and you know he needs to watch over your mother's condition so he didn't have the time to check up on you but you knew that he cared about you. He even wrote letters a months after the accident and said that he's deeply regretting what he did and hoped that you understand and bear with him; which you did.  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  


Why bother sending you all the money that you need and delivering gifts for you on your birthdays if he didn't care? You still hold the memories with him and your mother close to your heart, knowing that he's doing the same and is missing the way he holds the most precious girls of his life in his arms.  
  
  
  


You were lost in your own thoughts as you cried over your broken phone _(_. You didn't hear it, but a lot of voices were getting closer to the room so when the door suddenly opened to reveal the team, you squeaked before furiously wiping your tears away.  
  
  


"H-Hey guys! How was practice?" You asked with a forced smile, ignoring the way your voice cracked. You saw Kei walk towards you, making you shrink away and look away from him; your smile wavering.  
  
  
  


" Crying over a broken phone won't fix it, _chibi,"_ He said with a smirk as he flicked your forehead.  
  
  
  


You smiled, knowing it was his way of comforting you before you _'tear up'_ at the sting and held the spot he just flicked.   
" _Itai! Mou_ , Kei- _kun_! You're so mean to me!" You whined as you puffed your cheeks before pulling at his shirt to help you stand up.  
  
  


"Tsukishima, you bastard! Why did you hurt our precious _kouhai_?! Huh?!" Tanaka and Noya were about to pounce on the blonde, but you stopped them by patting their shoulders and saying you were alright. They fainted on the spot and got dragged up by their seniors.  
  
  
  


You didn't allow anyone to question you by diverting their attention to the game they'll have later. "Let's go and win against Nekoma!" You cheered and they cheered with you before beginning to go to their room to change into dry shirts/take a quick shower.   
  
  
  
  


You and the team were already on your seats in the bus. This time you were sat in between your childhood friends. Kei said he wanted to seat next to the window so he did. He had his headphones on and gave the vibe _'don't disturb me'_ radiating off him. Since it was a short trip, you leaned onto Tadashi and eyed what he was doing on his phone.  
  
  
  


" Hey, Tada- _kun_.. Do you think I'll get along with anyone there?" You mumbled into his sleeve. He looked down at you with a blush before giving you a fond smile.  
  
  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_ , don't say that. Everyone gets along with you. You're great and comfortable to be with. Isn't that right, Tsukki?" the freckled boy asked, looking at the blonde. The blonde just continued to stare out the window, meaning that he didn't hear what Tadashi said _._ You thanked him for his kind words before hugging his arm loosely and closing your eyes for a bit.  
  
  


"Oi, Yamaguchi. Isn't _chibi_ bothering you?" You heard Kei say in an irritated tone.  
  
  
  


"Nope, she's just taking a nap-" he was cut off when Kei commanded him, " Lean her head onto my shoulder." You heard Tadashi sigh before moving a bit. You hugged his arm tightly and nuzzled your head on it; ultimately making his cheeks flare up because your breasts pressed on him. Kei saw that and clicked his tongue before forcefully tugging you away from Tadashi's arm. You opened your eyes and glared at him, about to say something but Takeda- _sensei_ announced, "We're here! Wake up your seatmates if they're still asleep.." He faded off when the second-year duo ran off the bus with their bags.  
  
  
  


All of you followed suit and you went beside your _senpai_ _s_ that were yelling out in amazement, "Woah! Is that the sky tree?!" You grinned at them before hugging them from behind.  
  
  
  
  


"That's just a normal transmission tower, Noya- _senpai_ , Tanaka- _senpai_." You giggled before letting them go. They turned and cried out your name before hugging you tightly.  
  
  
  


Shimizu stood beside you. "Nishinoya- _kun_ , Tanaka- _kun_ , please let (Y/N)- _chan_ go. She can't breathe." They immediately kneeled and bowed down to you, making you sweat drop at their usual antics.  
  
  
  
  


"T-Two girls?! Both are beauties?!" A guy with a mohawk fell on his knees. Tanaka went in front of Shimizu while Noya went in front of you.  
  
  
  
  


"Don't you see, Tora? Karasuno are blessed by the gods," Tanaka told him while Noya is nodding in the background. Then the Tora guy shielded his eyes from something you can't see, perhaps it was _'light'_ coming from the heavens. Shimizu was weirded out so she told you to come with her to escape the scenes and start preparing the water bottles for the boys. But before you did that, Hinata ran past you and brushed his shoulders with yours; causing you to stumble back a bit.  
  
  
  


You opened your mouth to scold him, "Mou~ Shou- _ku_ —" You cut yourself off when you heard him yell a name you haven't heard from in years.  
  
  
  
  


" Kenma!" Hinata ran to a boy with a dyed blonde hair and the roots were black; kind of like a pudding. It was like time slowed down and you met his golden cat-like eyes once again. Your (e/c) ones teared up and you ran towards him, dropping your bag in the process.   
  
  
  
  


"Kenma- _nii_!" You cried as you clung onto him and buried your face in his chest. In the background, everyone stopped to watch the scene unfold. He pushed you away from him a bit, getting a clear look at your face before smiling slightly and wrapping his arms around you.  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_.. It's really you.. I missed you," he softly told you as he stroked your hair like the first time you met him.  
  
  
  


"Kenma- _nii_ , I missed you too!" You sobbed in his chest, embracing your cousin tightly. The two volleyball teams were shocked, especially Nekoma. They were surprised and were thinking, _'Kenma's smiling! He got his arms wrapped around someone—a girl!_ ' in their minds.  
  
  
  


" _Oya, oya, oya_ ~ I think you're forgetting someone, kitten~" You pulled away from Kenma and turned around. You jumped onto the bedhead male, making him stumble a bit so he wrapped his arms around your waist to secure your body from falling.  
  
  
  


"Kuroo- _nii_! I missed you!" You cried in his arms. You heard him chuckle and put you down on the ground before wiping your tears away.  
  
  
  


"There, there.. No need to cry. Looks like you grew up into such a fine lady, kitten~" Kuroo flirted with you; receiving a menacing glare from your cousin. Kenma hid you behind his back and glared at Kuroo who just smirked at him.  
  
  
  


"You're just jealous that (Y/N)- _chan_ missed me more than you, Kenma~" He teased him which just made him glare harder and hiss out, "Am not."  
  
  


"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

.

.

.

"Am not." 

"Are too." Kenma just groaned in irritation.  
  
  
  
  


"It's okay, Kenma- _nii_. I like you more than Kuroo- _nii_." You giggled and pecked Kenma's cheek just like you did when you were younger, still making him blush a bit.  
  
  
  


"Eh, kitten~ How about me?" Kuroo pouted as he pointed at his cheek. You were about to peck his cheek when Kenma pulled you away and went into the gym with you, leaving everyone dumbfounded. The Nekoma team yelled their thoughts in sync.  
  
  
  


"KENMA HAS A GIRLFRIEND?!"  
  
  


"KENMA JUST SMILED!!"  
  
  


"WHO'S THAT PRETTY GIRL?!"  
  
  


"Calm down, guys. Let's ask our Captain about this."   
  
  
  


Kuroo smirked and turned to the confused boys before clearing his throat and answering, "Yes, Kenma just smiled. That pretty girl is not Kenma's girlfriend.. She's _my_ girlfriend." He grinned at them. Unbeknownst to them, a certain _megane_ was clenching his fists out of jealousy.  
  
  


"Uhm.. What just happened, Kuroo- _san_?" Daichi asked Kuroo.  
  
  
  


" Let's just play a good game and talk later. Is that alright with you, Daichi- _san_?" Kuroo asked Daichi, to which he nodded and firmly shook Kuroo's hand that was extended.  
  
  
  


"Thanks for playing with us." Both teams started to do warm-ups with you in the Nekoma team, introducing yourself and clearing out misunderstandings to them.  
Soon, they finished with the warm-ups and the match began. You went to seat on a bench with Takeda- _sensei_ and cheered for both teams, causing all of them to be fired up because of a pretty girl cheering for them and yelling, " You guys can do it!"  
  
  
  
  
  


"Let's play!" The teams said in unison as they shook each other's hands.


	10. Mad and Jealous

Nekoma managed to snatch victory for every set the teams played and finally after the game—rather, games ended (Hinata wanted to keep playing until Coach Ukai karate-chopped him on the head), Coach Nekomata decided to treat everyone with food for all of their grueling hardwork.  
  
  
  


As usual, the boisterous boys cheered, being excited to eat delicious food once again. While others were bouncing around the place and annoying their setter or either drooling at the thought of juicy meat, four crows began to sing and dance.  
  
  


" Meaty meat, meat, meaty meat!~"  
  
  


"Put 'em together, you get meat and meat!~"  
  
  


You were beside Kei at that time because you gave him his water bottle and towel. When you heard the catchy tune, you turned to them in confusion. They looked so deprived of energy a while ago but that doesn't seem to be the case now.  
  
  


"Meaty meat, meat!~"  
  
  


Kei looked at you from the corner of his eyes while drinking and then said, " It's scary how they regain energy so fast.. they look stupid." You giggled at his last statement and gave his arm a little punch before making your way towards the four. Kei kept his amber eyes trained on your figure and they narrowed into slits when he saw who you were approaching.  
  
  
  


" Hooray for meat! Energy times a hundred!~"  
  


" Hallelujah! Hallelujah! "  
  


" Meat is god! Meat is god!~"  
  
  


The trio were dancing in sync while as on the other hand, Kageyama was stiff. He still wasn't used to these kind of things. Poor baby. You giggled once more before going behind him and softly patting his back to relieve him from his tense state. "Come on, Tobio- _kun_. Loosen up a bit~" You said with a smile, causing him to blush. He just nodded before facing away from you. He didn't know how to act around girls, especially around a girl as pretty as you.  
  
  
  


Kei had enough at seeing your interaction with the person he hates so he walked up to the two of you, subtly positioning so you could be behind him. Then he snickered before saying, " If the king's shoulders are too stiff, how would we know if he'll set up a high caliber toss perfect for commoners?"   
  
  


Kageyama glared at Kei, asking him to repeat what he said, "What did you just say, damn it?" Kei just smirked at him, opening his mouth to retort. But before he even could, you dragged him away to exit the gym since he's already changed and done packing _(and you don't want him to start a fight that'll ruin the atmosphere of the others)._  
  
  


Once you reached the exit and at a fair distance from the gym, you turned to him. "Kei- _kun_ , I told you to stop teasing Tobio- _kun_!" You scolded him with your hand on your hip and a finger pointing at him. He scowled at you. "Why should I listen to you, huh, _chibi_?" he spat out rudely before walking away.  
  


He was mad, but why? You've known him since childhood so you easily knew that he was mad. But why was he mad? Did someone annoy him? Did you do something to make him mad? Why was he mad?  
  
  
  


Your thoughts was stopped when someone ruffled your (h/c) locks. "Ready to eat, kitten?" From the nickname, you knew it was Kuroo so without looking up, you pushed his hand away before grinning up at him.  
  
  
  


"Mhmm.. I was born ready!" You cheered and looked behind him to see your cousin. You went around Kuroo then linked your arms with Kenma's, causing him to look up from his POP and give you a fond smile before paying attention to his game again.  
  
  
  


Kuroo fell into step with the both of you with his hands shoved into his pockets. "You know, kitten.. You should tell Kenma to eat his veggies. I'm sure he'll listen to you," he suggested and you felt Kenma shiver in your hold. You looked at him worriedly before turning to look at Kuroo, saying, " If he doesn't want to eat, then let him be.." you trailed off, staring at Kenma who had his cat-like eyes on you.  
  
  


"But then again, Kuroo- _nii_ 's right. You need to eat them sometimes, Kenma- _nii_! They're good for your health!" You snickered when he turned blue then turned to your other side where you high-fived Kuroo.  
  
  


Unbeknownst to the three of you, a certain blonde was watching from afar, gritting his teeth in irritation because you were so noisy with the other boys.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 _ **. . .**_  
  


Once you reached the place, it was empty so the judges probably reserved it or maybe they're friends with the owner. There were small tables _( a single table has a maximum of four)_ which were connected to form two long rows; to act as one large table. Then you saw the coaches going to their own table by the corner; starting to order the food.  
  


Everyone began to find their seats and went to their own businesses. You decided to do the same so you were scanning the room for the childhood friends to sit beside them as always. You spotted them at the end of one table with an empty seat beside Kei. You happily skipped to them and sat down in your seat; claiming it as yours because you know that Kei left it for you on purpose.  
  
  
  


It's normal for Kei to not talk to you at times, but this time, he wasn't giving you glance and didn't tease you like usual; he didn't even click his tongue when you sat down. He just started a conversation with Tadashi beside him. You were about to clutch at his sleeve to catch his attention and ask him what was wrong, but you suddenly felt arms going under your knees and your back. You yelped in surprise when your feet no longer touched the ground and turned to see the culprit.  
  
  
  


"Eep!—eh, Kuroo- _nii_?!" You held onto his neck to prevent yourself from falling while he carried you in his arms. He just snickered before turning blue, gulping and shivering at feeling two menacing auras and death glares stabbing him. Then he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and the aura growing stronger. He started to sweat and they dropped down faster when he turned to see your cousin.  
  
  
  


" Kuroo.. Put her down. Now or else, " Kenma almost growled out. Kuroo immediately put you down, feeling Kenma's menacing aura dissipating. You could still feel a hostile vibe and you shivered from the cold; rubbing your arms to keep yourself warm. Kuroo noticed you doing that so he took a step towards you.  
  
  


"Are you cold, kitten?" he asked you, about to take off his jacket and help you wear it just like when you were kids but your head was suddenly covered by a big black fabric. Then a scent you've gotten fond ofentered your nostrils.  
  
  
  


"You're an idiot for not wearing a jacket, _chibi-chan_. I already packed two in your bag," a familiar voice said. You turned to him, pulling the jacket down and wearing it before giving a sheepish grin up towards the blonde." _Gomen ne_ , Kei- _kun_."  
  
  
  


He gave you a click of his tongue then went back to his seat, telling Tadashi to shut up. You overhead some of their conversation, " Tsukki, you're jel-"  
  
  
  
  


"Shut up, Yamaguchi." You smiled to yourself because Kei finally talked to you even though it was one-sided.   
  
  


"The blonde _megane_ 's your boyfriend, kitten?" Kuroo wanted to know and you turned to him, zipping Kei's jacket up to your chin before tilting your head in question. "Aren't all of you guys my boyfriends? You're all my friends and you're boys." You're so dense that Kuroo face palmed and Kenma let out snicker beside him.  
  
  
  


After a few minutes of chatting with your cousin, Kuroo and other members from the Nekoma team, the food came and everyone couldn't be happier at how they looked so scrumptious. You excused yourself and stood up from your seat with Nekoma, making your way to your seat beside Kei. He just continued eating, refusing to spare a single glance at you.   
  
  


You thanked the gods for the food before you began to eat slowly and quietly; also getting lost in your own thoughts. You wondered if you had done something to upset Kei. You recalled all that you've done, not remembering what it was and you even thought that you were back to normal just a while ago. You were upset because this is the first time he was mad _and_ ignoring you.   
  
  


You sighed and placed your chopsticks down, already losing your appetite. Then you stood up, excusing yourself to go outside. Once you slid the door shut, you leaned on the wall beside it and stared up at the moon. You pouted, remembering Kei from it so you went to where the bus was parked and entered, laying down on the back seats. It may be uncomfortable but you could sleep on anything without a care in the world; besides, all your stressful thinking tired you out so you were just going to take a nap and wish that everything will be alright once you wake up.  
  


It had been fifteen minutes since you left and Kei was already finished with eating. He never ate too much, really _(except maybe, when you're the one who cooked)_. When he looked at your bowl of rice and the food surrounding it, he noticed that you barely even touched it. He was starting to worry but masked it with a frown. He could never hide from Tadashi; he's always been perceptive about the two of you."Tsukki, I know you're worried. You should go look for her," he suggested, still munching on something.  
  
  


Kei swiveled his head to narrow his amber eyes into slits, saying, "Haah?! Who says I'm worried about that small idiot?!" Tadashi yelped before bravely adding, "(Y/N)- _chan_ 's a beautiful girl. She's defenseless and alone outside and we're currently in the city. Who knows what could happen to her.." Tadashi successfully provoked Kei to unleash his protective side. In less than a second, Kei shot up from his seat and went outside, almost sliding the door shut; Tadashi shook his head, thinking, _' Why don't you just admit it, Tsukki, you tsundere.'_  
  
  
  


You weren't nearby and Kei panicked a little before remembering that he didn't check the bus yet. He took long strides towards the parking space where the bus was and noticed the door slightly opened. He entered and once his amber eyes landed on your sleeping figure, he sighed in relief. He went to the back and looked down at you, pondering about what to do: to wake you up or just let you sleep.  
  
  
  


Your untouched food came to mind so he settled on waking you up," Oi, _chibi_. Wake up." You just groaned before burying yourself in his jacket more. He thought it was cute but then shook his head to get rid of that thought. He needed to focus to his task at hand. He groaned in frustration before just lifting you up into his arms. He paused for a moment. He was bothered by your lightness.  
  
  
  


_' Have you been eating well? '_ He pondered as he left the bus with you in his arms. He was worried that he wasn't paying much attention to you, but now that he thought of it, you were often in either the art or music room during lunch break and when you both go home from practice, you head straight to bed. He always told you to go home without him but you were too stubborn; you kept on staying and fooling around with the noisy bunch and helping with giving out towels and water bottles. You're overworking yourself and he hates it. Why are you putting in so much effort? What are your reasons behind it? Unbeknownst to him, it was to keep you from hurting.  
  
  
  


Soon he entered the restaurant and walked to his seat but before he could put you down, he was blocked by his seniors."What do you think you're doing to our _kouhai_ , huh?!" Noya and Tanaka exclaimed, about to give him a beating. Hinata joined in too, copying his them out of spite for the blonde.  
  
  


"Yeah! What did you do to (Y/N)- _chan_?"  
  


"You dumbass! She's just sleeping!"  
  


Suga patted their shoulders twice and gestured them to be quiet before inquiring worriedly, " Is she alright? Did she eat already?" He was really like the mom. Kei was about to answer, but choked on air for a second when someone pulled at the collar of his shirt. Everyone was quiet, no one dared to move.  
  
  


"What do you think you're doing to her? Put her down." Kuroo growled, his fists clenched. The two of them just glared at each other; refusing to back down but then you groaned, "Hnn, noisy.." before nuzzling into Kei's chest. Everyone sweat dropped at that cute action that mellowed the thick atmosphere before they continued to watch the scene in front of them.   
  
  


Kei gave him a saccharine smile. " I'm carrying her, what does it look like?" He replied sarcastically, forcing himself out of Kuroo's grip and walking around him, but not before whispering into his ears, " I've been with her longer so I know her more than you do."  
  
  
  


Kuroo clenched his jaw at the harsh truth, his russet orbs following Kei who was waking you up and forcing you out of his arms." Oi, _chibi_. Wake up or I'll drop you." Many grew irk marks when they heard this but then he placed you down, forcing you to sit up but you kept leaning on him.  
  


"Kuroo.." Kuroo felt a tug at his sleeve and looked down to be met with golden cat-like eyes. " Let's leave her be.." Kenma said to the rooster head who just nodded and went back to their seats. Everyone sighed, seeing that no violence occurred and went back to their seats. Since most of them were already finished from eating, they watched you and Kei.  
  
  


You weren't opening your eyes and kept burying yourself in his side, but he's not having any of it. He smirked mischievously before poking at the side of your neck. You instantly folded and stiffened when he poked it again. "Nooo~! Kei- _kun_ , stoopp! I'm up!" You sat up straight and blinked your (e/c) orbs in confusion at your seniors who kept placing food in front of you." _Ano_.. Noya- _senpai_? Tanaka- _senpai_? What are you doing?" They just grinned at you before replying," As your _senpai_ _s_ , it's our job to let you eat lots of delicious food! We'll also treat you to ice cream when we get back," they finished before singing a song about food.  
  
  
  


"But I already ate.." You mumbled, trailing off as you shrunk under Kei's scrutinizing gaze. You shivered when he gave you a dark look, smirking down at you. "Are you really going on a diet, _chibi-chan_? Your bowl of rice was barely even touched when you left."  
  
  
  


" U-Uh, that was—" you twiddled with your fingers, averting your gaze. He cut you off from your rambling and added, " If you won't eat, then you won't grow any taller." You pouted and glared at him which just made his smirk more.  
  
  


Your voice was quiet as you said, " I just lost my appetite earlier.." He clicked his tongue before pointing out, " Keyword: earlier. Now, go eat." You raised your head to smile brightly at him before thanking your seniors for the food, " _Arigatou,_ Noya- _senpai_ , Tanaka- _senpai_!" Then they laid still on the floor, arms around each other and tears running out their eyes.  
  


" I can die with no regrets now, Ryuu! A pretty girl just thanked me and called me her _senpai_!"  
  


" I feel you, Noya- _san_!"  
  


" She always calls you guys _senpai_ , though."  
  


" Don't mind them, Ennoshita."   
  


You thanked the gods for the food then began to eat happily because Kei wasn't mad at you anymore and while you were eating, everyone was watching you because you gave off such a happy and flowery aura, making all of them smile and feel at ease. The corner of Kei's lips almost twitched into a small smile too, but what Tadashi said made him frown," You were jealous of Kuroo- _san_ and Kozume- _san_ , right, Tsukki?"   
  
  
  


He glared at Tadashi, saying, " Shut up, Yamaguchi. Kozume- _san_ 's her cousin-" His glare intensified at what Tadashi added," But what about Kuroo- _san_?" He clicked his tongue, averting his gaze to you and confirming Tadashi's claim. His amber hues were warm as they gazed at you. You turned to look up at him with food in your mouth. It was weirding you out but then you just figured that he wanted to eat too.  
  
  
  


You looked over to his side to ask Tadashi something, " Hey, Tada- _kun_. Did Kei- _kun_ eat a lot? " You received a shake of his head. You gasped in horror before getting a piece of meat and then turning to Kei with your chopsticks held up to his mouth." Kei- _kun_ , you should eat more! You need to build up more muscles!" You scolded him. He was about to retort when you shoved the piece of meat into his mouth. He chewed on the juicy piece of meat as he begrudgingly thought, _'I should be the one telling you that.'_   
  
  


He couldn't ask you to stop feeding him because you look so stupid _(-ly cute)_ and he enjoyed the envious stares of the other boys; he loved pissing them off. But he was starting to get annoyed. " You're not my mother, _chibi-cha_ _n._ " He tried to stop you from shoving food down his throat but his eye twitched when you just continued to feed him.  
  
  


You huffed, saying, " Hmmp. I'm not, but I'll tell you on Mom." then crunched on a piece of veggie.

.

.

.

.

.  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_! That's an indirect kiss!" Noya gasped and paled in horror." Don't feed Tsukishitma!" Tanaka pleaded you with his hands clasped together.  
  
  


" Do you know what's 'indirect', Kageyama?" Hinata asked the poor ravenette."I think it's..." Kageyama pondered, not sure on what it means. Kei looked at them in disbelief as he said, " It's an adjective that means not directly caused by or resulted from something. We just got over that a week ago!" Kei glared at them and they shivered.  
  
  


You pouted at your _senpai_. " But Tanaka- _senpai_! Kei- _kun_ needs to eat more!" You looked up at him, doing your puppy eyes. Tanaka and Noya abruptly shielded their eyes before fainting in their spot.  
  
  


" No, I don't, " Kei denied.  
  
  


" Yes, you do," You retorted.  
  
  


"No, I dont."  
  
  


" Yes, you do."  
  
  


"No."  
  
  


"Yes."  
  
  


"No."  
  
  


"Yessss."  
  
  


"No. What are you, a snake?"  
  
  


"Yes. NO, I AM NOT."  
  
  


"Yes. "  
  
  


"No... wait—!" You gasped and hit Kei's arm playfully." You tricked me!" you said, clutching your shirt and feigning hurt. He snickered, his hand over his mouth. " You're just stupid," he said, holding in his laughter before ruffling your (h/c) strands. Then he gave you a small genuine smile that only you can see _(he made sure that only you can see it)_.  
  
  


"Come on, continue eating," he urged you and you nodded furiously, smiling brightly at him before going back to eat your food. Food is life.  
  
  


" Oi, don't eat like a pig. You might choke." You were so cute with your cheeks full like a hamster's but he didn't want you to choke. He doesn't need to worry though because you're still here beside him after nine years." I can't help it! The food's delicious!" You chirped before shoving a piece of soup dumpling in your mouth and smiling at the rich beef broth that tickled your taste buds.  
  
  
  


While you savored the taste of your food, Kei was leaning onto his palm, his smirk turning into a small smile. At the same time, Kenma and Kuroo were staring at the both of you. Kenma smiled before going back to play on his POP. "She looks so happy, Kuroo.." he said, giving a glance to Kuroo who just nodded.  
  
  


After a few moments of observation, Kuroo asked him, " Do you see the way _megane-kun_ looks at her?" Kenma turned to stare at the both of you. He saw nothing wrong: it was just Kei giving you a fond smile while you ate in delight." What?" He asked, pausing his game and turning to look at his friend. Kuroo just shook his head and said it's nothing. Then he grinned and swung his arm around Kenma's shoulders and engaged him in a conversation about his game, wanting to know more about it.  
  
  
  
  
  


' _ **He loves her..**_ ' was what Kuroo wanted to say.  
  



	11. Tokyo Advetures I

"Kitten? Kitten, wake up." Someone shook you awake gently. You opened your eyes and slowly sat up, massaging your head while at it. You blinked to clear your blurry sight.  
  
  
  


"Kuroo- _nii_? Kenma- _nii_? What are you doing here?" you asked, wincing. You can't remember how you ended up here in your bed. Your head was aching and you feel dizzy.  
  
  
  


"Oh, we're here to pick you guys up. We're going to tour you guys around Tokyo," Kuroo told you, squatting down next to you and ruffling your (h/c) locks. You groaned in pain and slapped his hand away before you held your head.  
  
  
  


"What happened? How did I end up here?" You questioned and stared at them. Kenma glared at Kuroo, pushing him to speak as he paused his game. Kuroo sweat dropped before sitting criss-cross style beside you.  
  
  
  


" Well.. Long story short.." He began to tell you the story of how you ended up here.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


_The coaches brought out bottles of sake and called the third-years to join them. They were there in the corner, chatting and laughing about random things._   
  
  
  


_Meanwhile, you were looking around asking someone for a drink because apparently, the restaurant ran out of water and were currently having it delivered to their place._   
  
  
  


_You asked everyone, including Kei. But to no avail, they already drank it earlier in the match. You sighed and caught sight of the coaches and the third-years drinking something. Your eyes sparkled and you immediately went to Kuroo._   
  
  
  


_"Kuroo-nii, I'm thirsty. Let me drink this for a bit, okay?" You said, getting the cup out of his hand and gulping it down in one go because you were so thirsty._ _(The cup is big, fyi.)_  
  
  
  


_"W-Wait!-" He turned blue once you had already drank it. Everyone went quiet as they watched you, even the coaches stopped drinking._   
  
  
  


_"K-Kitten?" Kuroo stood up and got the cup out of your hand, placing it on the table. Your face was covered by your hair as you looked at the floor. You suddenly looked up and tilted your flushed face to Kuroo._   
  
  
  


_" Hic- This water -hic tastes- hic- weird." You hiccupped and stumbled over to Kei. You fell, but he caught you and you fell on top of his lap._   
  
  
  


_"Hehe—hic—Kei-kun! hic- I found water to- hic- drink." You giggled, slurring on your words. Kuroo ran towards you, checking if you were alright. You furrowed your brows in confusion when he tried to touch you._   
  
  
  


_Kuroo cooed, "Kitten, come here." He reached out a hand to touch you._   
  
  
  


_"No~ hic—you let me.. hic—drink weird—hic .. water." You whined and dodged from his grasps, pressing yourself on Kei. He started blushing and tried to push you off him, but you turned to him and wrapped your arms around his neck._   
  
  
  


_"Kei-kun~ hic.. Why are you—hic.. pushing me away~?" You pouted at him. He glared at you and flicked your forehead. "You're drunk," he told you._   
  
  
  


_You puffed your cheeks in frustration, denying it, "I'm not—hic.. I'm (Y/N)~!" You buried your face in his neck and felt his breath hitch. You pulled away and looked at his face._   
  
  
  


_"You—hic.. look like a.. hic—strawberry. I want to.. hic.. taste one~" You went and bit at the base of his neck, sucking it after. Everyone froze and paled before chaos erupted when Kei got a nosebleed and pushed you off him. Tadashi immediately reacted and gave him tissues._   
  
  
  


_"Tsukki! Are you okay?" Tadashi wanted to know. Kei just tilted his head forward and pinching his nose to stop the flow of the blood._   
  
  
  


_"Itai~! Oh, Kenma-nii.." Your hazy and half-lidded (e/c) hues stared at your cousin who was lifting you into his arms. His golden cat-like eyes were glaring daggers at Kuroo who was pale._   
  
  
  


_"Kenma-nii.. hic.. Kuroo-nii let me drink—hic.. weird tasting—hic.. water," you told him, pointing your finger at Kuroo accusingly. He nodded as he spoke, "Yeah.. I saw it.. You should rest, (Y/N)-chan." He softened his gaze down at you before turning to glare at Kuroo again. Your eyelids felt heavy so you shut them close, leaning into your cousin's chest._   
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"I-I bit Kei- _kun_?! Is he hurt?" You frantically asked and stood up, about to go to the boys' room when Kuroo stopped you. "Kitten, you should probably take a bath now. Everyone's waiting for you in the dining hall." You reluctantly nodded and obeyed him.  
  
  
  


After taking a bath and brushing your hair, you changed into a long-sleeved shirt, a denim shorts with stockings underneath and wore your rubber shoes. You brushed your hair and left it down before getting your purse and leaving the room.  
  
  
  


You went to the dining hall and greeted everyone, giving them a smile, " Good morning everyone!" They greeted you back and you heard thumps of footsteps running to you.  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_! Are you okay? Is your head aching? Do you need painkillers?" Tadashi took ahold of your shoulders. You tilted your head at him before remembering the events yesterday. You panicked and scanned the dining hall for the blonde."Tadashi- _kun_ , where's Kei- _kun_?! Is he alright?" You escaped from his grasps and ran to where you saw the blonde conversing with your cousin and Kuroo.  
  
  
  


You ran to him and checked him for injuries. You checked his arms, running your fingers over it. You cupped his face, turning it side to side. Then, you slid your fingers down to his neck and pulled his collar down a bit. There, you saw a bruise. You teared up and looked at Kei worriedly.  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_ , does it hurt? Do we need to get you to the hospital? Is it infect-" You rambled on before getting cut off by Kei, muttering, "It's nothing serious. It's just a hickey."  
  
  
  


Silence was heard and you tilted your head in confusion so you asked him, "What's.. a hickey?" You widened your eyes, mumbling about it being a nickname for some kind infection or something.  
  
  
  


"Seriously _, chibi_? You're in college preparatory class and you don't know what a hickey is?" You shook your head, clearly not knowing what it is. " It's a mark made when you're supposed to have se—" Noya and Tanaka covered his mouth before he could finish his sentence.  
  
  
  


You stayed silent and bowed your head at Kei, making his seniors let go of him. You apologized, "I'm sorry for hurting you, Kei- _kun_.." Kei just sighed and patted your head. "It's fine. You were drunk and an idiot," he teased and gave you a sly smirk. You puffed your cheeks and went around him to sit beside him and talk to your cousin while you ate.  
  
  
  


When you finished eating, Kei taunted you again, "Finally, _chibi_ 's done eating. She eats so slowly." He stretched before standing up and heading out the dining hall with Tadashi following and scolding him. The chatters stopped and everyone followed.  
  
  
  


"It's time to go on an adventure with your big bro again, kitten. You up for it?" Kuroo reached for your hand. You took it and grabbed Kenma's hand, pulling the two of them out with you while cheering, "Ready as I'll ever be! Let's go, Kenma- _nii_ , Kuroo- _nii_!" You grinned at them and started running to the group of volleyball boys.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_**After you took the subway to Ueno station..** _   
  
  
  


When all of you went out of the train doors and made a headcount, you were holding a paper that Kuroo wrote; scanning and analyzing it. He wrote places of where everyone will go and how much time will be spent there.  
  
  
  


" _Sugoi_ , Kuroo- _nii_! You prepared this?" you asked him as you gave him the paper. He ruffled your hair and nodded." Well.. The coaches decided to let us tour you. They even paid for the tickets I gave to all of you. Besides, I know you missed Tokyo and your Kuroo- _nii_ —ow! What was that for Kenma?!" Kenma elbowed Kuroo and took you away from him, to the front of the group. _( You were in the middle of the group )_  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_.. Have you decided where we'll go first?"Kenma questioned you as he played on his phone. You widened your eyes when you saw him using his phone.  
  
  
  


"Hey, wait! Kenma- _nii_ , please look at where you're going.. I don't want you to get into an accident.." You said the last part sadly, remembering your traumatizing past. He obliged, keeping it in his pocket before holding your hand and apologizing,"I'm sorry, (Y/N)- _chan_.."  
  
  
  


You smiled at him and told him where you wanted to go, "We'll go to the National Museum of Nature and Science first!" Your (e/c) orbs shone in excitement and you giggled when Kuroo gave Kenma a noogie, making you let go of his hand.  
  
  
  


"Oh! That reminds me!" You gasped, remembering something. You ran to the back where your childhood friends where. You clung onto both of their arms, smiling up at them.  
  
  
  


"Tada- _kun_ , are you excited?" you asked him, your head turning to him. He nodded. "Yeah! I haven't been to Tokyo yet, except for training camp," he told you. You could tell that he's excited like you.  
  
  
  


"I bet Kei- _kun_ 's excited too! Right, Kei- _kun_?" You looked at him, grinning when he just rolled his eyes at you. You pouted at him before smirking and turning to Tadashi and telling him, " We're going to the National Museum of Nature and Science first. There's so many fossils of prehistoric creatures there." Kei perked up at the term ' _fossils_ ' and _'prehistoric creatures'_.  
  
  
  


Tadashi looked at Kei. "Isn't that great, Tsukki? There's dinosaurs!" He yelled in enthusiasm. Kei clicked his tongue, looking away as he said, "Tch. Shut up, Yamaguchi." Tadashi apologized and you just giggled.  
  
  
  


"Come on, let's go~!" You cheered and dragged them away, running in front of the group. The other competitive boys decided to mimic you guys and have a race.  
  
  
  


"Shouyou! Let's do a race!" Inuoka offered, making Hinata nod furiously.  
  
  
  


"Oi, Bakageyama! Let's race! I bet I'm faster than you!" Hinata challenged Kageyama. He grew an irk mark and accepted the challenge.  
  
  
  


"Huh?! I'm faster than you!" Then the trio took off, following the three of you.  
  


"Ryuu, let's go! We won't lose to our _kouhai_!" Noya ran off after the freak duo.  
  


" _Osu_ , Noya- _san_! Tora, let's go!" Tanaka followed Noya with Yamamoto in suit.  
  


"OI! NISHINOYA, TANAKA!" Ennoshita yelled chasing after them with Narita and Kinoshita following him.  
  
  
  


"G-Guys! Wait! Don't cause any trouble or—EEK!" Suga warned before tensing up because of a hand's weight on his shoulder. "Just let them be, Suga." Daichi gave him a hollow smile that made him turn blue.  
  
  
  


"I g-guess we should follow them too, right?" Asahi suggested. The Karasuno third-years nodded before running after them too.  
  
  
  


"Woah.. They really ran off.." Kuroo sweat dropped. Kenma nodded and was about to take his phone out when Kuroo dragged him by the collar of his jacket.  
  
  
  


"Then, we should get going too!" Kuroo and Kenma ran off, just leaving Yaku  
  
  
  


"Really?.." He sighed and ran after all of you.  
  
  
  
  


. . . .

"Is it really okay, Tadashi- _kun_?" You asked in concern. He nodded and smile at you and Kei. "Yeah. We ran off suddenly, they might look for us. I'll stay here, you and Tsukki can go ahead."  
  
  
  


You thanked him and grabbed Kei's wrist, dragging him away. "Let's go then, Kei- _kun_!" You dragged him away. He stared back at Tadashi and glared at him, knowing that he did it on purpose. Tadashi sheepishly smiled and rubbed his nape, mouthing ' _sorry_ ' to him. He blushed and looked back at you when you suddenly held his hand, _not knowing Tadashi's smile changed_.  
  
  
  


" What's wrong?" You tilted your head at him. He hid his embarrassment by teasing you, "Oh, nothing.. Just that, your hands are small.." He smirked. You glared at him and intertwined your fingers with his.  
  
  
  


"No! Your hands are just too big! Look!" You showed him your intertwined hands. He blushed and looked away, clicking his tongue.  
  
  
  


"There!" You shouted and pulled him in front of a glass box. You pointed at the stuffed dog inside.  
  


"This is Hachiko, the most loyal dog. I named Hachi after him." You giggled and pulled him to view other stuffed animals, aircrafts, and things related to the outer space.  
  
  
  


. . . .

" _Mou_ ~ It's not that boring, Kei- _kun_! Smile!" You stopped, going up on your tippy toes and poked his cheek. He frowned and flicked your forehead, making you cry out in pain and rub it.  
  
  
  


"Hmmp. Meanie." You pouted before grinning, making him raise a brow in confusion."What?" He asked, looking down at you.  
  
  
  


You grinned more as you announced, "Our next stop is your favorite! Let's gooo~!" He just let you drag him along while wondering how you have so much energy. You were just like Hinata.  
  
  
  
  


. . . .

"Ohh! What's that dinosaur?" You asked him. _(R: What's that pokemon?)_  
  
  
  


"That's a Stegosaurus," he told you with an impassive expression. But you knew better, his eyes were shining like a kid about to open a Christmas present.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Look, Kei- _kun_! It's a T-rex!" You pointed at the bones of the dinosaur. You let go of his hand when you saw an unfamiliar dinosaur. You went to it and read its name.  
  
  
  


' _Saltasaurus loricatus'_  
  
  
  


You gasped and called Kei over to see it, "Kei- _kun_! Come here!" He went to you and looked at the dinosaur in recognition before frowning when he saw you grinning up at him. He looked down at you questioningly and you took that as your cue to speak.  
  
  
  


"I think this dinosaur suits you. It's salty like you~" You laughed and clutched your stomach, laughing at your ' _joke_ '. He glared at you before sighing and giving you a small smile and ruffling your (h/c) hair.  
  
  
  


"Hey! You're messing it up!" You hissed and slapped his hand away, fixing your hair.  
  
  
  


_**Meanwhile..** _   
  
  
  


The volleyball teams were blending in the crowd, following the two of you.  
  
  
  


"Are they really not dating?" Kuroo asked Daichi.  
  
  
  


He shook his head. " Unfortunately, they're not," he replied.  
  
  
  


"They should definitely date. They're meant for each other!" Suga declared. Yaku stood beside him, nodding in agreement. "I agree. They look so perfect together."  
  
  
  


Afterwards, they felt a gloomy atmosphere so they turned to the side to see five sulking boys.  
  
  
  


"O-Our precious (Y/N)- _chan_ and Tsukishima dating?!" Noya gripped his hair in disbelief.  
  
  
  


"Never! We will not allow it! " Tanaka and Yamamoto cried. Noya nodded at them and put a serious face on, discussing about a plan. They all agreed to it before they were smacked on their heads by Ennoshita, Suga, and Yaku.  
  
  
  


"Stingyshima and (Y/N)- _chan_? That's a no-no! (Y/N)- _chan_ 's an angel!" Hinata exclaimed.  
  
  
  


" And Tsukishima's the devil himself," Kageyama added. The freak duo glared at the two of you _(just Kei, really)_ before getting hit on their heads by Daichi. Tadashi just stood beside them, smiling at the two of you with solemn olive eyes.  
  



	12. Tokyo Adventures II

" Kei- _kun_! Let's go to the gift shop~" You chirped and pulled the blonde there. Once you got in the shop, you immediately dragged him to where they sell dinosaur figurines and plushies. You let go of his hand and quickly pulled out a (favorite dinosaur) from the plushies, showing it to him before hugging it to your chest.  
  
  
  


The sight of his two favorite things in the world together was enough to make him faint, if it wasn't for someone, rather two of his upperclassmen jumping on him. Noya and Tanaka made him fall to the floor and gushed on how cute you are, not paying attention to the blonde that was underneath them.  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _chan_!! So cute~" Tanaka gushed.  
  
  


"Can you please pose for us, (Y/N)- _chan_?" Noya asked while taking out his phone and directing its camera towards you. You blushed at their sudden compliments before holding the plushy with one arm and doing a victory sign, asking if it's okay to pose like that.  
  
  
  
  


They told you it's alright and added, "Just smile (Y/N)- _chan_ ~" You obeyed and hugged the plushy with your arms, smiling brightly at them. While they were taking several pictures of you, Suga helped Kei up before whispering into his ear, "You'll thank me for this later, Tsukishima." Then he pushed him to you.   
  
  
  


You immediately clung onto his arm with one arm doing a victory sign while the other was still around the plushy. You smiled while Kei was just standing there awkwardly and glaring at the camera. He sighed and rolled his eyes, looking down at you and softening his gaze, ignoring how his upperclassmen were protesting against Suga that was currently taking pictures of the both of you with Noya's phone.  
  
  
  
  


**_. . ._ **  
  
  
  
  


After that scenario, Kei got three dinosaur plushies and some figurines; he was already in line to pay for it. He included the one you hugged a while ago in his current collection so you were sulking because you knew that he'll be keeping it.   
  
  
  


_'It was the last one! And it's in (f/c)!'_ You whined mentally and frowned as you waited outside the shop with Hinata and Kageyama bickering. They were done sightseeing in the shop and couldn't find anything they liked so they accompanied you outside.   
  
  
  


You sighed, still not moving on from Kei stealing your dinosaur. Suddenly, you felt someone ruffle your hair and ask, "What's with the long face, kitten?" You smiled a bit and before you could even respond to him, he told you, "We're going to your favorite restaurant when you were a kid. Let's go upstairs."  
  
  
  


Your (e/c) irises gleamed and you were pulling him up to the second floor in no time. "W-Wait, kitten! Slow down!" You ignored him until the two of you made it in front of the Restaurant Mouseion.   
  
  
  


"Wah~! It changed quite a lot! I wonder if Ryoko- _san_ is still here?" You beamed in front of the restaurant. You saw a familiar woman making her way towards you, her eyes wide in disbelief as she asked to make sure, "(Y/N)- _chan_? Is that really you?"   
  
  
  


You wrapped your arms around her while nodding furiously." Ryoko- _san_! It's nice to see you again!" You squealed while she hugged you back and ruffled your (h/c) locks fondly.  
  
  
  


"You suddenly stopped visiting! By the way, you've grown into such a beautiful lady, (Y/N)- _chan_ ~" She told you and giggled, holding you by your shoulders and scanning your features, comparing it to when you were a child.  
  
  
  
  


"Ouch, that hurts Ryoko- _san_! You don't remember me?" Kuroo feigned hurt, clutching at his chest. Ryoko- _san_ 's eyes shone in recognition and in an instant, she was giving Kuroo a noogie.  
  
  
  
  


"You're taller than me now, Tetsu- _chan_! Are you and (Y/N)- _chan_ together now?" She whispered the last part and wiggled her eyebrows at him.   
  
  
  


He sighed before whispering his response, "Unfortunately, no.. There is someone I think she has her eyes on, but she's too oblivious to her own feelings." He gained her questioning gaze and he knew that she'll start pestering him about the _'mystery'_ guy so he told her, "You'll know later. He's coming up here."   
  
  
  


"Okay then! Let's go in, (Y/N)- _chan_ and Tetsu- _chan_ ~" Ryoko- _san_ chirped and started to push you into her restaurant. She turned to Kuroo, but he shook his head and gestured to go on without him because he was calling someone; it was probably Kenma. She just shrugged before leading you towards the farthest of the restaurant where you can view all of the dinosaurs.   
  
  
  


_' Kei-kun's so lucky!'_ You thought and awed. The view was different when you were gazing at it from above; it was like in any minute, you can watch them come to life. You snapped out of your awed state when Ryoko- _san_ pushed you down on a chair and sat in front of you.  
  
  
  


"Soo~ How's life? Are there any boys you like? Do you have a boyfriend? Did you kiss? Did you-" She rambled on, asking you questions on top of questions so you cut her off, telling her with a sweat drop, "That's too many questions and you talk too fast, Ryoko- _san_."   
  
  
  


She let out an ' _oh_ ' before clearing her throat and asking properly, "How's life?"  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  


"It's great! I help my school's volleyball club a lot and it's like I'm another manager. We went here to relax after having practice matches with Kuroo- _nii_ 's team," You told her with a closed-eyed smile. She nodded and put her elbows on the table, intertwining her hands together before she laid her chin on it.  
  
  
  


"Do you have a lover? " She asked and used a different word for boyfriend because she somehow knew that you'll be dense and say you have a lot of boy friends.. You answered her, "I don't, but I did have one."   
  
  
  


She slammed her hands on the table and screeched, "Only one?! Wha—that's impossible.." she trailed off before shaking her head and speaking again,"Do you have any boys you like?" She narrowed her eyes at you.  
  
  
  


"Of course! I like all of the boys in my team and Kuroo- _nii_ 's team! They're very nice!" You replied, causing Ryoko- _san_ to slam her head onto the table. You panicked and shook her by the shoulders.  
  
  
  


"R-Ryoko _-san_? Are you okay? Do I need to call the am-" You were startled when she suddenly took ahold of your arms and said, "You're too dense for your age." You were confused and so tilted your head to ask what she meant.  
  
  
  


She patted your head. "Oh.. It's nothing to worry your pretty little head about. And stop being so cute, I might hug you to death," She muttered while pinching and playing with your rosy cheeks. You glared at her and tried to push her hands away. While you were trying your best to get out of her grip, she caught sight of Kuroo with his arms around two blonde guys.   
  
  
  


The other one was quite familiar, but the tall one beside him wasn't. Kuroo gave her a grin and pointed his finger at the tall blonde secretly, mouthing, " This is him" to her. She nodded, understanding him then let your cheeks go. You whined in pain and rubbed your poor cheeks, oblivious to Ryoko- _san_ getting up from her seat and greeting the boys.  
  
  
  


" _Kon'nichiwa_ ~ I'm Ryoko, the owner of this restaurant," She introduced and the boys bowed in respect and said, "Thanks for having us." Everyone paused for a while then she gave Kuroo a noogie again when he didn't take that as a cue to introduce each one of the boys.  
  
  
  


"Tetsu- _chan_ , why aren't you introducing them, huh??" Kuroo chuckled nervously before pushing her away, grinning when he pulled your cousin who was trying to sneakily run away by his hoodie. "This is Kenma, don't you remember?"   
  
  
  


Ryoko looked at the boy with a dyed blonde hair before her mouth fell slack when she saw the familiar cat-like irises. She squealed and hugged him, "Ken- _chan_ ~! You've grown taller too! A bit taller than me. You three grow up so fast!" She gave him a noogie too like Kuroo, almost making him drop his phone, but of course he held onto it.   
  
  
  


"R-Ryoko- _san_ , stop." Kenma successfully wriggled out of her grip. She pinched his cheeks and noticed the boys and a girl staring at her. She gave them a friendly smile before speaking, "Let's take a seat first before we talk." They nodded and went to you who waved at them excitedly. Your childhood friends automatically sat beside you, but you ignored Kei because he got your plushy. Yeah, childish but it was yours first. He didn't seem to notice yet.  
  
  
  


Once everyone sat down including Ryoko- _san_ , they started to introduce each other simultaneously from Yaku to Kei, excluding you, your cousin, and Kuroo.  
  
  


* * *

  
  


_**Arrangement of the seats:** _

_The other side of the table, with their backs on the view are:_ Kuroo, Kenma, Yaku, Suga, Shimizu, Daichi, Asahi, Yamamoto, Inuoka, and Tanaka.

 _Your side of the table with the view visible in front are:_ Kei, You, Tadashi, Hinata, Kageyama, Narita, Kinoshita, Ennoshita, and Nishinoya.

Ryoko- _san_ was seated on the side of the table, near Kuroo and Kei.  
  


* * *

  
  


"Well, that's that. We're starving, Ryoko- _san_ ," Kuroo casually announced. Ryoko- _san_ stood up and talked with a staff, probably telling them to prepare the food before she sat down again and smiled at all of you.  
  
  
  


"Okay, since that's done. I'm going to ask a question," she started. The boys gulped in nervousness when they saw her stern expression. She continued, asking, "So which one of you boys is the one that (Y/N)- _chan_ likes?" She stared at each of them.   
  
  
  


You blinked before chiding her, "Hey, I already told you that I like all of them! They're very nice to me and they're great at volleyball!" You puffed your cheeks. Most of them face-palmed while others shook their heads at your dense statement.   
  
  
  
  
  


"Gosh. You're hopeless, (Y/N)- _chan_." Ryoko sighed, rubbing her face in a frustrated manner. Kuroo chuckled before whispering something in her ear, making her eyes sparkle. She and Kuroo watched you secretly as you chatted with Tadashi and ignored the blonde who was wearing his headphones and doing something on his phone.   
  
  
  


Kuroo told her that you and the tall blonde are particularly close so she was confused at the behavior. "I thought she's close with blondie?" She whispered to Kuroo. He nodded and furrowed his brows in confusion, mumbling, "They usually are.. I wonder what's wrong.." He stared, observing the two of you.  
  
  
  
  
  


It seemed that they weren't the only ones to notice, everyone did. They stayed quiet and watched you converse with Tadashi, all the way ignoring the blonde. Tadashi noticed too and got worried because this is the first time it happened. Of course he's happy that you were talking to him, who wouldn't? But the way you were acting was starting to feel out of place. He wasn't used to you not talking to the blonde.  
  
  
  
  
  


He cut off your sentence about how you managed to tame a snowman by asking, "(Y/N)- _chan_.. Why aren't you talking to Tsukki?" Everyone wanted to know too so they listened attentively. You pouted and crossed your arms, glaring at the blonde beside you. He felt daggers boring into the side of his head from your direction so he pulled his headphones down to his neck before facing you and raising a brow.  
  
  
  
  
  


"What do you want, _chibi_?" His brow twitched when you stuck your tongue out at him and turned your head away from him, replying to Tadashi, " Because he stole my (favorite dinosaur) plushy.." You whined, crossing your arms with a pout.  
  
  
  
  
  


" Eh?" Everyone was the same. That was the only reason..?  
  
  
  


Kei smirked down at you. "Finders keepers, losers weepers. I paid for it so its mine, _chibi_ - _chan_." You turned your head towards him, still glaring as you exclaimed, "It was a (favorite dinosaur) and it's (f/c) AND it was the last one!"  
  
  
  


He nodded his head in fake sympathy before smugly stating, "It was the last one and its mine." You were sulking again but then came up with an idea. You tugged at his sleeve, asking him, "Can I pleaasee have it?" You did your puppy-eyes that you knew no one could resist. The others watching you even blushed at your cuteness. Kei himself was trying his hardest not to give in.  
  
  
  
  
  


"You do know that I'm immune to those, right? You need to be cute before doing those." Kei snorted and looked away. He mentally sighed in relief because he looked away early. If he didn't, he'd be playing right into your hands.   
  
  
  


You gasped at his comment and said, "I am cute!" He just hummed, mockingly tilting his head in thought as he taunted you, "Oh yeah.. People find small things cute, right?"  
  


"Just because you're tall doesn't mean you can call me small!"  
  


"Well, I already did. _Chi-bi_."  
  
  
  


Everyone sweat dropped at your bickering, but none of them stopped it because it was too entertaining to watch. "Y-You.." You sniffed as your eyes teared up, doing your last trick to let him give you the plushy; your trick works on everyone.  
  
  
  


You turned to Tadashi and buried your face in his chest while crying out, "K-Kei- _kun's_ so m-mean to me, Tada- _kun_." He knew of your plan and decided to play along, rubbing circles into your back before turning to the blonde and scolding him, "Tsukki! You made her cry!" His friend was close to giving up.. but he didn't.  
  
  
  


"She's a crybaby, it isn't new." Kei shrugged his shoulders, making you stop your act and glare at him, denying his claim, "I'm not!"  
  
  
  


"You are."  
  


"I'm not!"  
  


"You are."  
  
  
  
  


You fumed at him, puffing air into your cheeks. He just stared at you smirking. You weren't giving up and was about to start again—but the food was near so Ryoko- _san_ stopped the two of you.  
  
  
  


"Okay, show's over! You lovebirds can continue staring into each other's eyes later," She finished with a wink. You glared at her cutely while Kei looked away to hide his blush. But his blush didn't last long at what you said," Obviously, we aren't birds, Ryoko- _san_! I can't fly, but I wish I could.." Then you mumbled something about the last sentence. All of them once again, facepalmed.  
  
  
  


"Is everyone okay?" They just shook their heads grimly before they regained their energy from the food in front of them.  
  
  
  


The food on the table looked delicious. It contained soups, steaks, curry, fried garlic rice, _yangchow_ rice, pasta, fish & chips, tempura, hamburger, stew, buttered vegetables, tempura and various kinds of salad.   
  
  
  


"Eat to your heart's—rather, stomach's content!" Ryoko- _san_ announced and watched all of you pay your respects.  
  
  
  


" _Itadakimasu_!" Then all of you began to dig in.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


While eating, you glanced to your front and saw your cousin not eating the veggies. You put various kinds of veggies on his plate and smiled, telling him, "Eat your veggies, Kenma- _nii_ ~" You giggled when he turned blue. He hesitantly ate it because you asked him to and grimaced, but he continued for your sake.   
  
  
  


Then you turned to your side, seeing the blonde already patting his mouth with a tissue. He was already finished eating but you knew better; he didn't even get a lot.  
  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_! You should eat more!" You scolded him and placed food onto his plate. He groaned in annoyance. "I don't need to eat like you, _chibi_ ," he told you in a monotone voice as he pushed his plate to you.  
  
  
  


You sighed, deciding to just feed him. "Then, say 'ah'~!" you muttered while nearing your spoon to his mouth. He turned to you and was about to speak when you shoved your spoon into his mouth. He chewed slowly, scowling at you.  
  
  
  


"It's either you eat your food or I feed you myself," you told him. He clicked his tongue. "Stop babying me. You're not my mom, _chibi_." You just huffed before speaking,"I'm not.. but I can tell mom and she won't like it." You smirked when you heard him grumble under his breath then eating the food you put on his plate.   
  


"Good boy, Kei- _kun_ ~" You cooed, giggling and messing up his blonde hair. He slapped your hand away so you continued eating in delight, not noticing Ryoko- _san_ smiling knowingly at the two of you.  
  


"Ready for desserts~?" Ryoko- _san_ asked and you immediately nodded, along with Hinata, Tanaka, and Noya.  
  
  
  


" Just how much can you eat, _chibi_?" Kei mumbled to himself as he started to eat his strawberry shortcake, but you still heard it so you told him," I can eat you up too! That's how big my appetite is!" You did not know that what you said was very suggestive and misleading. You paid them no attention because a slice of a chocolate mousse and strawberry shortcake, ( favorite flavor) milkshake, and a strawberry parfait was placed in front of you, begging to be devoured.  
  
  
  


Everyone was frozen at your loud statement, some were flustered because it had another meaning while some were scared because they didn't know it was a hyperbole and took it literally. But they shook it off when they saw you smiling without a care in the world as you sipped on your milkshake.  
  
  
  


"I'm surprised that you still remembered what I like, Ryoko- _san_ ~!" You cheekily grinned at her. She raised her chin and gave you a smirk. "Of course! How could I forget those when you demanded for it every time you came here as a kid!" she said, making you blush a little bit. You just huffed before you continued eating.   
  
  
  


Others were mostly finished eating now and were chatting amongst themselves. You sipped the last of your milkshake and smiled at how full you were.  
  
  
  


"Your smile's creeping me out, _chibi_. Are you copying the king?" You heard the blonde beside you snicker. Kageyama heard and stood up, growling, "You want to fight, damn it?!" Kei just raised a brow at him, still provoking him, "Why are you imitating Tanaka- _san_ , king?" Kageyama has a short temper so you decided to calm the both of them down.  
  
  
  


"Tobio- _kun_ , please calm down.. I'm sure that Kei- _kun_ didn't mean it." You smiled gently. Kageyama nodded hesitantly with a pink tint on his cheeks and sat down.  
  
  
  


"Well, I did me-" Kei began but you warned him."Kei- _kun_ ," You wore a stern expression with those cute (e/c) eyes of yours. He clicked his tongue and looked down at his phone; ignoring you.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**  
  
  
  


Currently, you were in the bathroom with Shimizu and the boys were left with Ryoko- _san_.  
  
  
  


"Tsukishima Kei, right?" He looked up from his phone when he heard Ryoko- _san_ ask. He nodded at her.  
  


"So let's get things straight..." The others noticed the tense atmosphere and decided to eavesdrop because they were pro at doing that.   
  
  
  


"Do you like (Y/N)- _chan_?" She questioned him seriously. Kei's expression was blank as always as he answered her calmly, "No, I don't." Then he looked down at his phone when he heard your giggles nearing the table.   
  
  
  


Ryoko- _san_ didn't seem to notice yet and slammed her hands on the table,, exclaiming, "Eh?!" She startled you and the others so she shook her head in embarrassment before saying it was nothing. You sat down while Shimizu went back to her seat and talked with Suga.  
  
  


"Ryoko- _san_! Give me your number so I can message you~" You whined at her as you reached for her phone in her hand. She gave it to you. You placed your numbers and got Kuroo's and your cousin's numbers too.  
  
  


"Done~!" You cheered and gave them back their phones. Then you turned to the first years beside you, asking them, "Hey, do you guys want to see penguins?" You asked them.   
  
  
  


Hinata's eyes began to sparkle in excitement and he nodded furiously. "I'm in, (Y/N)- _chan_! I'm in~!" He told you, bouncing on his seat excitedly. You grinned at him and stood up.  
  
  
  


"Then what are we waiting for, Shou- _kun_? Let's go!" You dragged him out of the restaurant, forgetting to say goodbye to Ryoko- _san_. Kageyama abruptly stood up and bowed before running behind the two of you.  
  
  


"Wait up, Hinata _boke_!" He yelled as the three of you faded into the distance. Tadashi was the next to stand up because he was concerned about you.  
  
  
  


"I-I'll go after them. Please excuse me," He meekly mumbled and ran after the three of you. Kei placed his headphones back on and stood up, bowing a little before following all of you. He has long legs so he'll catch up soon for sure.  
  
  
  
  


"She's probably going there, right Kenma?" Your cousin nodded and stood up, the other doing the same and thanked Ryoko- _san_ before going out of the restaurant and waiting for Kuroo and Kenma in front.  
  
  
  


"Geez, that girl. Take care the two of you. I'll see you next time." She gave them both a noogie and pushed them out, waving them goodbye. They nodded and waved back then faced the others, telling them where they would find you.


	13. Tokyo Adventures III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say, they already met the other schools for a training camp. But Yachi and Lev aren't here yet.

You looked back when you heard Kageyama screaming, "Hinata, you dumbass! Wait for me _boke_!" Since your arm was linked with Hinata's, you skidded to a halt, making him stop too because you knew that if you didn't, he would've dragged you with his speed.  
  
  
  


He turned to Kageyama with a glare once he reached the both of you, exclaiming, "Grr, Kageyama! Why did you follow us here?! I was going to have a date with (Y/N)- _chan_." Hinata whined and hid behind you when Kageyama scowled and hit his head.  
  
  
  


"She doesn't want to have a date with a coward dumbass like you."   
  
  
  


" I-I'm not a coward! Y-You wanna fight, huh?!!"  
  
  
  


You sweated nervously. You didn't want them to fight so you started to coax them to stop, "T-Tobio- _kun_ , S-Shou- _kun_ , calm—" A voice cut you off and you turned to where it came from, seeing Tadashi with Kei not far behind him.  
  
  
  


Tadashi sighed in relief as he grabbed ahold of your shoulders, questioning you,"(Y/N)- _chan_! Thank goodness, I caught up to you three! Are you okay, (Y/n)- _chan_? Did they do anything to you?" You gave him a smile to calm his nerves.  
  
  
  
  


"Tadashi- _kun_ , I'm okay! But now that you're here, let's go on a da—" Kei finished for you, "Date, you say? Huh, you don't seem like the cunning type to ask Yamaguchi out." Kei snickered behind his hand.   
  
  
  


You tilted your head at him quizzically while the two bickering boys stopped and Hinata butted in the conversation, crying out, "She was having a date with me first! Yamaguchi, how could you?!" He started to shake Tadashi but was cut off short when Kageyama punched him on the head.  
  
  
  


Hinata held his head and cowered behind Tadashi. "What are you saying, _boke_?! She didn't say anything about going on a date with you!" Kageyama scowled at him, grabbing the front of his shirt to drag him from his hiding place.  
  
  
  
  


Before they could start fighting, you chirped, "What are you guys talking about? Let's go on a date! All of us~" You clung onto the freak duo's arms to make sure that they won't be at each other's throats and hummed a joyful tune.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


" _Osu_! Let's go, (Y/N)- _chan_!" Hinata cheered along with you and started to sing Little Einstein's song, " I'm going on a date with my favorite manager~!"  
  
  
  


" She's not yours, _boke,"_ Kageyama grumbled. He couldn't raise his voice because he didn't want you to stop giggling at Hinata's song. You turned to him and gave him a smile."Tobio- _kun_ , loosen up! " He nodded and tried to grin but received a snicker and a squeak from Hinata when he glared at him and told him to shut up. The three of you went towards a gate of some sorts to fall in line and pay for the admission fee.  
  
  
  
  


"Tsukki, let's go too?" Tadashi suggested to the blonde who just clicked his tongue, "Tch. We have no choice. That's quite a troublesome trio: the king, the shrimp, and _chibi_ together could cause a lot of trouble," he said, starting to walk to the direction you and the duo took off.  
  
  
  
  
  


"If you say so, Tsukki," Tadashi mumbled under his breath and chuckled to himself before walking alongside the blonde.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  
  


" Kageyama! That gorilla's glaring like you do!" Hinata pointed at a lowland gorilla that was staring at his direction. When he pointed it out, the gorilla ran towards him and started slapping the back of its head, making him squeak,"E-EEK! It's even copying what you did during our practice match in Aoba Josai!" He gulped and stepped away from the glass to distance himself away.  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  


"What are you talking about, dumbass? It looks nothing like me," Kageyama told him and stood beside the Gorilla, the both of them wearing a similar glare.  
  
  


You heard Kei snicker beside you."Pfft. The king with a gorilla? That's quite a sight." Tadashi laughed with him.  
  
  


"L-Let's go to somewhere else, (Y/N)- _chan_." Hinata whimpered and dragged you off to the next animal. The poor baby was scared of the gorilla and Kageyama.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"This owl reminds me of someone annoying.." Kei muttered to himself as he saw a snow owl squawking and flying all over the place from behind the glass.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  


You suddenly appeared beside him and giggled, agreeing with him, "Oh. Yeah , it reminds me of Bo- _senpai_! It's cute!!." Kei cringed at your last statement and told you, "Bokuto- _san_ definitely isn't cute, _chibi_." You waved your hand dismissively as you sweat dropped. "I'm talking about the owl, Kei- _kun_ ," you said. Somewhere along in Tokyo, Bokuto sneezed and told Akaashi that someone was complimenting him through a call.  
  
  
  
  
  


"He is an owl," Kei mumbled, trying to spot the difference between the squawking owl and the boisterous third-year he met last training camp.  
  
  
  
  
  


Meanwhile, you looked around, only to realize that the trio you were with were gone. You tugged at Kei's sleeve, making him turn and look down at you with a brow raised questioningly.  
  
  
  
  
  


You looked up at him with slight fear in your eyes. "They're gone, Kei- _kun_ ,"you told him. He looked around and found no signs of the trio. Around that time, his phone made a noise, indicating that someone messaged him. He took it out with one hand and held yours in the other to make sure that you won't go off and blend in the crowd. You were small, it'll be hard to find you.  
  
  
  


He read the message.  
  
  


* * *

  
  


_**Gomen, Tsukki. Hinata and Kageyama ran off so I chased them and now we're at a place with a lot of African animals. We met up with the others too.** _   
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  


"Where's the place with a lot of African animals, _chibi_?" He asked you after reading it.  
  
  
  
  


You tapped your chin thoughtfully before answering him, "Oh, that's in the west. But there's quite a distance to reach there because we're currently in the eastern part." He hummed then said, "Yamaguchi told me that he's there with the two simpletons. He told me that he also met everyone. We'll catch up to them later. For now, don't get lost." He let go of your hand and walked in front of you. You tried to run up to him but someone bumped into you harshly, causing you to yelp and wince at the pain on your shoulder.   
  
  
  
  
  


You heard someone click their tongue before they tugged you into their chest. "Tsk. At this rate, you're going to get swallowed by the sea of people. It'll be troublesome to find you with that height, you know?" You looked up at Kei when he scolded you. He noticed the distance and felt heat creep unto his cheeks so he pushed you away and gave you a command, " Hold onto my hand." He looked away with the tips of his ears turning red.   
  
  
  
  
  


You smiled and obliged. " _Hai_ , Kei- _kun_ ~!" You held onto his hand. He clicked his tongue again and intertwined your fingers, causing you to look at him with slight confusion. "Eh?"  
  
  
  
  
  


He scowled at you. " If you don't hold on tightly, you'll get carried away by the crowd and I have to look for you again," he stated as he looked forward to prevent you from seeing his expression. You let out an _'oh'_ in understanding before giving his hand a squeeze and smiling softly at the warmth his calloused hand gave off.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_ , look! The baby polar bear is looking at me! It's so cute—take our picture, please?" You positioned next to the cub and smiled brightly with a victory sign while waiting for Kei to take his phone out. He sighed before obliging to your request, knowing he couldn't resist you and your cuteness.  
  
  
  


He counted monotonously, " _San_ , _ni_ , _ichi_." He took three pictures of you and he wasn't going to admit it, but he was contemplating on making one of the pictures his wallpaper _(not his lock screen because Suga already sent him the pic of the two of you at the gift shop)_.   
  
  
  
  
  


You turned to the cub and high-fived it through the glass before saying goodbye and dragging Kei to other kinds of bear.  
  
  
  


" _Mite,_ there's a panda over there! Let's go, Kei- _kun_!" He sighed before unconsciously twitching the corner of his lips into a small smile.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  


"I want that cotton candy! It's a panda!" You whined with a pout to Kei after taking pictures with the panda bears. He just raised his brow at your childish action. "What are you? A child?" You puffed your cheeks and glared at him.  
  
  
  
  
  


You took in a breath before continuing to whine, "I want it! I want it! I want it! I wan-" You were stomping your feet like a child and he was—frankly, getting very embarrassed. Why? You were catching some of the passerby's attention and the cotton candy vendor was also looking at him, like he was urging him to buy.   
  
  
  


" Why can't the tall dude just buy the cotton candy for his adorable girlfriend?"  
  


" She looks like she's about to tear up! Poor girl."  
  


" Sir, it's only costs 250 yen but you can buy it for 200 yen.."  
  
  
  


" I want it! I want it! I want it! I wan—"  
  
  
  


He grew irk marks. "Shut up, _chibi_. God, you're so annoying," he told you, exasperated at your antics and pulled you to the cotton candy cart, buying you what you requested and shoving it to your face after.  
  
  
  
  
  


You cheered, "Yey~! _Arigatou_ , Kei- _kun_ ~!" You thanked him before taking a piece and moaning in delight at its sweetness.  
  
  
  


"Try some, Kei- _kun_ ~!" You offered some of your cotton candy and held it up for him to take. Question marks formed around you when you momentarily saw him bowing to the cotton candy vendor ( _R: He was apologizing for your behavior a while ago, shame on you jk)._  
  
  
  


"I don't nee—" He started as he turned to you but you cut him off, "Say _'ahh'_ ~!" He reluctantly opened his mouth to let you feed him and chewed on the piece of sugar with his cheeks feeling hot.  
  
  
  
  
  


"AH, I SPOTTED THEM, NOYA- _SAN_! (Y/N)- _CHAN_ IS FEEDING COTTON CANDY TO TSUKISHIMA!"  
  
  
  
  
  


"GET HIM, RYUU!!" Two voices yelled from somewhere behind you. You turned and saw your upperclassmen charging over to your direction before pouncing on Tsukishima; Noya was biting his shoulder while Tanaka punched his side.  
  


Thankfully, Suga intervened shortly, "Oi, Nishinoya and Tanaka! Get off the poor boy!" He pulled at the back of their shirts, dragging them away from the blonde male.  
  
  
  
  
  


You perked up at Kuroo's voice calling you, "Kitten~! We finally found you!" He ran to you and hugged you with your feet lifting off from the ground. The both of you felt menacing vibes once again coming from your cousin as he seethed. "Let. Go. Of. Her." He glared at Kuroo who sweated nervously and reluctantly let go of you.  
  
  
  
  
  


Your cousin was still giving him a piercing stare but you took pity on the rooster head so you adverted his attention to you. "Kenma- _nii_! Let's go to the that area! I heard that the some animals there look like characters from the games we played," you told him and clung onto his arm. You gave Kuroo a wink before dragging your cousin to the area that you just mentioned.  
  
  
  
  
  


Kuroo knew you were always an angel but he couldn't be anymore grateful that you saved him from your cousin. Kenma only gets like that when it comes to you so it really scares him. "Okay~ Let's follow them!" Kuroo shoved his hands in his pocket before following the two of you.  
  
  
  
  
  


" _Osu_!" Everyone agreed and followed suit.  
  
  
  
  
  


" Tsukki, did you have fun with (Y/N)- _chan_?" Tadashi asked his friend who was walking beside him at the back of the group.  
  
  
  


"Hah?! All she did was act like a child and dragged me everywhere. It's obviously not anything to think of as fun," Kei denied and walked in front of Tadashi to hide the smile that crept up on his face but he saw it anyways and decided against commenting on it—instead, yelling out as he ran up to the blonde male, "Tsukki, wait for me!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  


"Kuroo- _nii_ , come here please!" You called out to Kuroo while taking your phone out. Once he was in front of you, he asked nervously because your (e/c) irises were glinting in mischief, "W-What do you need, kitten~?"   
  
  
  
  
  


"Can you please stand here?" You requested him while tugging at his sleeve to position him in front of the glass beside a black wolf sitting on a rock.  
  
  
  
  
  


You pointed at them, exclaiming "Ah! He looks like you Kuroo- _nii_!" Then you took a picture of Kuroo with the wolf. Kenma agreed with you, "Ah, you're right.. Kuroo looks like that wolf." Kuroo raised a brow at his claim before looking beside him, at the black wolf that was also staring at him. He grinned and surprisingly, the wolf grinned back. You noticed and took another picture of them, slightly giggling to yourself.  
  
  
  
  
  


Hinata awed at the rooster head. "Uwaah~! That's amazing! How did you do that??!" Hinata yelled, bombarding Kuroo with questions.   
  
  
  


Kuroo replied with a hand placed on his chest, " You see.. I was a wolf in my past life—"  
  
  
  


" Is that so? I thought you were a rooster—"  
  
  
  


"YAKU, _KONO YARO_!!"  
  
  
  


" Kenma- _nii_ , let's go over there!" You dragged Kenma to another area because you didn't want to see them fighting again. Tanaka, Noya, and Yamamoto were cheering for them as they stared each other down while the others shook their heads in disappointment and embarrassment.  
  
  
  


" We don't know who those guys are, okay?"  
  
  
  


" _Osu_!" They paid them no mind and followed you, smiling and chatting happily with each other.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  


" It looks like Sandslash, Kenma- _nii_!"   
  
  
  


"It sure does, (Y/N)- _chan_. It sure does." The both of you stared at an armadillo looking straight at you. Kuroo grinned behind you and took his phone out.   
  
  
  


"Say cheese~!"  
  
  
  


The both of you turned to stare at the camera with wide eyes. The armadillo turned to stare too so it's like a taking a group photo with your friends.   
  
  
  


Kuroo took a closer look at the photo he just took and zoomed it on your cousin's face. His look was endearing but your cousin wasn't having any of that. "Kuroo. You're going to have to delete that," Kenma told him as he reached out for his phone.  
  
  
  


"No I'm not." Kuroo smirked as he raised the phone above his head.  
  
  
  


"Yes you are." Kenma scowled as he jumped and tried to reach it.  
  
  
  


"I'm not."  
  


"Are too."  
  


"I'm not."  
  
  


" Are too." They continued to bicker and eventually, you left them and went your _senpai_ to let Kuroo and your cousin have their alone time.  
  
  
  


"Noya- _senpai_ , Tanaka- _senpai_. Would you like to accompany me to—" You started but they cut you off, instantly agreeing, "Of course, (Y/N)- _chan_!"  
  
  
  


" As your _senpai_ _s_ , we don't deny our _kouhai_ 's request!" They stated with they thumbs pointing at themselves. At that, your (e/c) hues sparkled as you thanked them before dragging them to the reptiles' section.  
  
  
  


"Do you think that we should've stopped her?" Asahi asked the other Karasuno third-years.  
  
  


" Yeah.. Noya and Tanaka's afraid of snakes and crocodiles.." Suga sweat dropped. Daichi just chuckled and patted their backs.   
  
  
  


_(R: not sure if that's canon, just made it up)_   
  
  
  
  
  
  


"It's their fault because they didn't let her finish her sentence. Now, let's go and follow them, " Daichi suggested and started walking to the direction where the three of you went.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  


When they reached the reptiles' section, they heard screams and the second-year duo running towards them.  
  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _CHAN_ IS GETTING STRANGLED BY A SNAKE!" Tanaka knelt on the floor in front of Ennoshita, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Noya described the snake as he stood beside Tanaka, frantically waving his arms around, "THE SNAKE IS SO HUGE! IT LOOKED LIKE WILL STRIKE YOU LIKE—WHOOSH!"   
  
  
  


"OUR _KOUHAI'S_ LIFE IS IN DANGER!" They chorused, gripping onto their hair. _(R: Well..)_  
  
  
  


"What? Calm down, you two. The authorities won't allow that," Suga told them at the same time you appeared behind your upperclassmen with a huge snake hanging on your shoulders. You were also holding it so it wouldn't move around that much.  
  
  
  


"Noya- _senpai_ , Tanaka- _senpai_? Come on, let's take a picture with Lucy~!" They turned to you when they heard 'Lucy', expecting it to be a city girl. "WHERE'S THIS CITY GIRL—" They stopped and went pale when the albino snake's head moved towards them. They let out a screech before fainting with their souls slipping out of their open mouths.   
  
  
  


Your (e/c) eyes grew wide then squinted because of sadness at the thought that they didn't want to take a picture with you.  
  


"S-Suga- _senpai_.." You started to tear up.   
  
  
  


"Shh.. shh.. don't cry, (Y/N)- _chan_! I'm sure they want to take a picture with you. Right, guys?" Suga asked them while shaking their shoulders.  
  
  
  


"The upperclassmen are so great—look, they made their _kouhai_ cry," Kei _'whispered'_ to Tadashi who told him, "T-Tsukki, they can hear you.." Kei turned to him, irritated.   
  
  
  


"That's the point, Yamaguchi," he said with a roll of his eyes.  
  
  
  


In no time, your seniors have risen from the dead and began to put the snake's body around their necks.  
  
  
  


"We'll take pictures with Lucy as much as you want, (Y/N)- _chan_ ," Tanaka stated with light shining on his features. "We're your _senpai_ _s_ after all!" Noya added, with the same light shining on his features.  
  
  
  


You turned to them with a bright smile, chirping, "You're both the greatest _senpai_ _s_ ever!" They awed at you with tears in their eyes, their hands clutching at their chest because of an imaginary arrow striking their hearts.  
  
  
  
  


Suga counted to three with his phone ready to take a picture. "Say cheese!" But before that, Lucy slithered her face near your two seniors, causing them to turn blue and sweat in nervousness. Then, Suga took the picture. You ran towards him to see the photo, leaving Lucy on your seniors' shoulders.  
  
  
  


"Suga- _senpai_ , can I see?" You asked him with your puppy eyes. He nodded and gave you his phone. He could never say no to you, no one could.  
  
  
  
  
  


You noticed their expressions in the picture and mumbled, "Why do they look pale here?" You turned to your upperclassmen, just to see Lucy in front of their faces, flicking her tongue out.   
  


You cooed, "Aww.. Lucy likes the two of you." Just as you said that, they fainted; their souls going upwards. You panicked and ran towards them while Lucy was taken by a staff.  
  
  
  
  
  


"N-Noya- _senpai_! Tanaka- _senpai_! Get ahold of yourselves!" You shook them while Suga tried to calm you down.  
  
  
  


"Pfft. This is great for blackmail." Kei snickered as he took pictures of his _senpai_.   
  
  
  
  
  


"T-Tsukki-" Tadashi was about to warn him but he cut himself off when a hand laid on his shoulder; making him shiver a bit.  
  
  
  
  


"Why don't you keep that, Tsukishima." Daichi smiled ominously at him. Kei looked away but complied and kept his phone.  
  
  
  


Daichi turned to the bedhead captain, asking, "We're going to the National Museum of Western Art next, right, Kuroo- _san_?" You perked up when you heard 'art' and stopped shaking your upperclassmen, swiveling your head to look at Kuroo with wide, expecting (e/c) eyes.  
  
  
  


"Yep, let's get going now, kitten~" He smirked. He always knew you had an interest in art since you were a child, but what he didn't know is that you're an artist by now; making artworks of your own.  
  
  
  
  
  


You gasped. "Really?! We're going there?! I've never been there yet!" You stood up, catching up with him as he walked towards the exit of the zoo. Kenma and the others followed you, leaving Noya and Tanaka on the floor to get weird stares from those who passed by them.  
  
  
  


"W-Where's the angel that was shaking us, Ryuu?" Noya stared at his best friend beside him.  
  
  
  


"I- I don't know, Noya- _san_. We're going to die now.." He said and gasped for air dramatically. Suga shook his head at them before standing up and yelling out as he followed the others, " If the both of you are going to stay there, we'll get going now!" He caught up to his fellow third-years and started a conversation with Daichi and Asahi.  
  


The both of them abruptly stood up and bolted towards the team.  
  
  
  


"WAIT FOR US!!"  
  
  
  
  


"Ah! That's Auguste Rodin's work: The Thinker!" You shouted and pointed at a sculpture. You pulled Kuroo with you to admire the sculpture. Suddenly, Noya stood beside the sculpture, copying its posture and with a deep voice and a serious expression, he said, "Don't I look smart, Ryuu?" Tanaka clapped his hands, applauding him. "You look cool, Noya- _san_!"   
  
  
  


" If only the both of you could think like that, then you guys wouldn't have to take supplementary lessons," Kei sneered at them. Tanaka grabbed the collar of his shirt, holding a fist up and asking him to repeat himself, " What did you say, you bastard, Tsukishitma?!!" Noya imitated his friend and they wore their intimidating faces.  
  
  
  


You bit your bottom lip but couldn't hold in your laugh so you just let it go. You didn't pay attention that much to your surroundings but you made all of them pause to stare at you. They all thought you look adorable and secretly cooed. But to Kei, you were absolutely beautiful; not that he would admit that or anything.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Pfft. What was that, _chibi_?" He laughed and teased you, just to avoid the redness that will soon creep up on his cheeks if you kept being like that . You stopped and blushed in embarrassment, stuttering incoherent words before pulling your cousin and Kuroo inside the Museum.  
  
  
  


"Tsukki! That was mean!"  
  
  
  


"TSUKISHITMA, YOU BASTARD! SHE WAS SO ANGELIC!!"  
  
  
  


"STINGYSHIMA!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!"  
  
  
  
  
  


A lot of voices reprimanded him but he clicked his tongue, wore his headphones and walked off to follow you. He needed to keep an eye on you. He doesn't trust Kuroo that much to leave you alone with him yet, though he knew that your cousin would stop him from doing any weird things.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  


As soon as you entered the museum, you got greeted by the paintings on the walls that were styled spontaneously by Le Cobusier.   
  
  
  


_(R: He's the architect that designed the museum)_   
  
  
  
  


You ran off to check the paintings, instantly knowing that it depicted the medieval times, mostly from the west and some paintings about how the French people regained their freedom. The teams were silent as they watched you happily gaze at the artworks with sparkling (e/c) orbs and a dazzling smile.   
  
  
  
  
  


_And that was what made Kei unknowingly fall for you more._   
  
  
  
  


"If I remember correctly.. This is Max- uhh.. I don't remember.." You mumbled to yourself as you stared at a painting with a man on the guillotine with a lot of people watching him. _(R: Just made up)_  
  
  
  
  


"Are you sure you're in a college preparatory class, _chibi_? That's Maximillien Robespierre," Kei stated as he stood beside you, startling you a bit.  
  
  
  
  
  


You gasped in recognition and added, "Oh, you're right! He's the one that started _'The_ _Reign_ _of_ _Terror'_!" Then you excitedly ran off to another painting. He sighed to himself before following you.  
  
  
  
  


Meanwhile, the volleyball teams were being stalkers as usual..  
  
  
  
  
  


"I don't know what they're talking about. Is that some language we don't know?" Noya pouted in confusion. Tanaka agreed, equally confused as him, "Me too, Noya.. Me too.."   
  
  
  


"It's about the paintings, Nishinoya," Suga told them.  
  
  
  


"What about it?" Noya asked. Him and Tanaka were listening attentively.  
  
  
  


"It's about the French Revolution," Suga explained.  
  
  
  


"Didn't know (Y/N)- _chan_ was this knowledgeable about history." Kuroo grinned as he slung his arm around Kenma's shoulder.  
  
  
  


"You just suck at history," Kenma stated while playing a game on his phone.  
  


"Am not." 

"Are too." 

"Am not."

"Are too." Yaku stood in the middle of them and slung his arms around them, giving them both a noogie, jumping so he can reach Kuroo.  
  
  
  


After he let them go, he turned to his fellow mother to ask, "Shouldn't we follow them, Suga- _san_?" Suga nodded in approval,"We should."   
  
  
  


The mother hens began to follow the two of you, making sure there was quite a distance so they can gush about their children growing up so fast.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Asahi- _san_! You look like that man on the painting!" Noya pointed out.  
  
  
  
  
  


Shimizu agreed, "Ah! You're right, Nishinoya- _kun_. He has a man bun too." Noya stood proudly while Tanaka fawned at him for getting Shimizu to agree with him. " Teach me your ways, Noya- _san!!"_  
  
  
  


"He has a goatee too," Daichi added with a chuckle and patted Asahi on the shoulder.  
  
  
  


"H-He looks scary," Asahi muttered while he hugged himself.  
  
  
  
  
  


"You look like that too!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_ , look!" You pointed at the zigzag slope with sculptures below and the exit behind it.  
  


" What." He stared at what you looked at. You walked slowly down the slope, noticing that the sculptures' looked different from before when you were at the top.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"You can view the sculptures in different angles!" You shouted in realization and ran down the slope, making sure to take in the sculptures' positions.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Tadashi appeared beside the blonde. " Tsukki! Where's (Y/N)- _chan_?" he asked. You heard him and waved at him from below.  
  
  
  


"Down here, Tada- _kun_!" You yelled, catching his attention.   
  
  
  
  
  


"Ah! This slope is zigzag!" Hinata exclaimed as he appeared with Kageyama beside him. He hit his head and scowled." Stop stating the obvious, dumbass!" he said while Hinata clutched his head in pain.  
  
  
  


"Shou- _kun_! Run down the slope, it's fun!" You chirped with a grin.  
  
  
  


He saluted and obliged, " _Osu_!" He ran down the slope, running straight into your open arms.  
  
  
  


"Good job, Shou- _kun_ ~!" You giggled as you hugged him and ruffled his orange hair.   
  
  
  


"Get off _chibi_ , you imbecile. She's too small for you to lean your weight on," Kei suddenly said from behind you, glaring at the poor boy.  
  
  
  


Hinata stuck his tongue out, saying, "You're just jealous, Stingyshima!" He hugged you tighter while you giggled at his statement. Kei grew an irk mark and was about to push the orange head off when Kageyama beat him to it.  
  
  
  


"OI, you dumbass! Don't hug her so comfortably!" Kageyama growled at Hinata and started dragging him to the exit by the back of his shirt. Hinata's whines were heard as they went out the building.  
  
  
  


" But (Y/N)- _chan_ hugged me back, _Bakageyama!"_  
  
  
  
  
  


You upperclassmen's voices shouted in sync at the top of the slope, "(Y/N)- _chan_!! You waved at them and they began to run down the slope, towards you. They were about to jump on you and trap you in their arms but unfortunately, Ennoshita caught up and held the back of Tanaka's shirt. Tanaka whined because Noya was lucky and got to pounce on you, squishing his cheek with yours.  
  
  
  


"Noya- _senpai_! Haha-" You laughed at his child-like antics and hugged him back.  
  
  
  


"Noya- _san_! You're so lucky!" Tanaka whined as he got dragged to the exit by Ennoshita, followed by Kinoshita and Narita.  
  
  
  


Kei was clenching his fists, seeing you let guys touch you so freely. He didn't know why he was ticked off more than usual, but maybe, it was because of Kuroo. Tadashi saw and tried to calm him down, "Tsukki, calm-"  
  
  
  


"Shut up, Yamaguchi." Kei glared at your back.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Oi, Nishinoya! Let go of (Y/N)- _chan_ and let's get moving!" Suga scolded the libero and pulled him off you. Noya whined and was about to hug you again but Kei had other plans. He pulled on your hand and went out of the building.  
  
  
  
  
  


You looked at the tall blonde. "Kei- _kun_?" He remained silent until he passed where the freak duo and second-years were.   
  
  
  
  


"Where are we going next, _chibi_?" He asked without looking at you, continuing to walk. You replied, " Oh.. To the _Meiji_ Shrine.." Once you realized that he already called a cab, you turned towards the distance where the rest were and yelled,"We'll wait for you guys at the _Meiji_ Shrine!" Then you got pulled into the cab by Kei.  
  
  
  
  


"RYUU, GET HIM! HE TOOK OUR (Y/N)- _CHAN_!!"Noya charged out of the exit and met up with Tanaka who agreed, "Osu! Let's go, Noya- _san_!" They were about to bolt off but Daichi placed a hand on both of their shoulders; silently telling them to behave.  
  
  
  


Kuroo pulled Kenma with him and told everyone, "We wait for a cab and go in groups." Yaku and Yamamoto were in their group. The others agreed; the third-years was the other group, then the second- years, and finally, the first-years with Inuoka.   
  
  
  


Meanwhile, in the cab as it zoomed off, you asked Kei and took his hand to play with it **,** "Kei- _kun_ , why didn't we wait for them?" You received a click of his tongue. "They're annoying," he said and looked at what you were doing with his hand. You were measuring the size of yours with his and found out that it's really, REALLY bigger than yours.   
  


" What are you doing, _chibi_?" he asked, even though it was already obvious. You gave your reply without looking at him and continuing to play with his fingers, "Your hands are too big." He let out a snort before retorting, "Your hands are just too small. You're a _chibi_ after all."   
  
  
  
  
  


You weren't fazed at his tease and intertwined your fingers with his, casually saying, "My fingers fit with yours perfectly! Look, Kei- _kun_!" You showed it to him with a cheeky grin. He blushed at what you did and tugged his hand away, earning a pout and a complaint from you, "But, Kei- _kun_! Your hand is warm, I like it!" You pulled on it, trying to take it into yours again but failing. His blush deepened and he knew it so he looked out the window to hide it.  
  
  
  
  
  


He let out a relieved sigh when he felt you stop tugging and opted to lean his head back on the headrest. But then you disrupted his moment of peace by whining. " I'm cold, Kei- _kun_!!"   
  
  
  


He grew an irk mark and was about to say something along the lines of, _'It's not my problem so don't drag me into it.'_ and _'You're not, you're just small.'_ but decided against it and was about to move to take off his jacket for you to use, but before he could, he felt your arms slithering around his torso and your head nuzzling into his side.  
  
  
  
  
  


"You're so warm, Kei- _kun_.." You mumbled into his jacket with your (e/c) eyes drooping. He could feel his cheeks heating up again so he tried to persuade you to let go of him, "Oi. Let go, _chibi_." He got no response so he looked down at you and was met with your sleeping face. He sighed before wrapping a warm arm around your small self and laying a kiss on the crown of your head, a smile gently tugging its way to his lips.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Someone tousled your (h/c) locks roughly. "Oi. Wake up, _chibi_. We're almost there." Judging from the nickname, you realized it was Kei so you just groaned and nuzzled your face into his side.. his chest, rather. You didn't know how you ended up in his lap. _(R: Let me tell you a secret.. Kei wanted to hug you but it was hard so he placed you unto his lap)_  
  
  
  
  


"Mind you, you're sitting on me," he grumbled and dropped his arms to his sides. The warmth surrounding your body disappeared so you looked up with your arms still draped around his midriff. You were about to pout and complain but your phone rang. You let out a small growl that Kei found cute; you were like a tiny kitten thinking it was a threatening lion. At the thought of that, he smirked while you unwrapped your arms from him and opened your phone; checking the messages.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_**We split up into groups and we're currently in a cab. Wait for us with at the Torii, kitten~** _   
  
  
  
  
  
  


Kuroo's message was the most recent one that you read. The others were almost the same except for the freak duo and your _most beloved_ upperclassmen.  
  
  
  
  
  


"They told us to wait for them at the _Torii_ , Kei- _kun_ ," you to Kei who turned to you and nodded. " Yeah. Yamaguchi told me, along with the king and shrimpy," he said before looking out the window. You settled on humming a tune and resting your head on his arm while you played a game that your cousin requested on your phone.  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  


"Finally! We've waited for you guys for decades!" You exclaimed with your hands overhead when you saw the rest arrive at the _Torii_.  
  
  
  


Of course, Kei had to oppose you. "Stop exaggerating, it's only been five minutes, _chibi_ ," he stated beside you. You glared at him before turning to the group and cheering, "Let's go guys!" You held onto Kei's hand and pulled him along with you.  
  
  
  
  


Daichi turned to his team with a threatening expression. "Now, behave and be quiet. Am I clear?" he ordered all the boys, specifically, the troublesome ones. Their faces were all blue as they nodded.  
  
  
  


"Good." Then Daichi started to follow the two of you.  
  
  
  
  
  


Kuroo whistled. "Your captain's scary, Karasuno. I wonder why I'm not like that," he pondered out loud before shrugging and walking in the shrine with the others following suit.  
  


They saw you and Kei washing your mouth and hands in the purification trough so they did the same before going to the main hall where the bell was. All of you lined up by two; the first in the line was you and Kei. You rang the bell and prayed, him doing the same.  
  
  
  
  
  


( _R: I don't really know if the shrine has a bell, this is all made up)_  
  
  
  
  
  


As soon as the two of you were done, you decided to look at amulets and charms while waiting for the others to finish. During that, you were silently chatting with Kei about random things; him nodding to show you that he was listening.  
  
  
  
  
  


You perked up when you heard Kuroo's voice asking as he went in front of the two of you, "Everyone's done now, kitten. Let's get the team some amulets?" You nodded and pulled on Kei's hand before starting to walk to the _omamori_ ; talking with him about facts about aliens and unidentified flying objects that you heard from Oikawa. Although, he was irritated at the fact that you were talking about the Great King, he couldn't complain because you're holding onto his hand. Just the feel of your small hand in his bigger one made him feel at ease and grounded.  
  
  
  


Unbeknownst to the both of you, the others were secretly taking pictures of the two of you. Why? Well, one, you were cute. Two, their Tsukishima was being cute with you; acting so tamed and all that. Third, you both were acting like a couple lost in their own world with a soft and mellowy atmosphere surrounding you both.   
  
  
  
  


" (Y/N)- _chan_ would certainly be a great girlfriend to Tsukishima.. Perhaps, a great wife too.." Suga commented to himself. Apparently, the volleyball team heard and started complaining.  
  
  
  
  
  


"NO, SUGA- _SAN_! NOT TO THAT BASTARD!"  
  
  


"(Y/N)- _CHAN_ WOULD DEFINITELY BE A GREAT GIRLFRIEND, BUT NOT TO TSUKISHIMA!"   
  


"DEFINITELY NOT!"  
  


"DEFINITELY! DEFINITELY!"  
  


"SHH! Daichi will get ma—"  
  
  
  
  


"ZIP YOUR MOUTHS OR I'LL ZIP THEM FOR YOU!!" Was what it took to stop the chaos. All of them paled at Daichi's command before obeying their dad and zipping their mouths.  
  
  
  


At the same time, you paused before a stand with charms and turned to stare at them, saying, "Guys! Let's get matching amulets! For good fortune in matches!" They agreed and all of you got matching amulets.  
  
  
  
  


"Here, Kei- _kun_." You offered him an amulet but he only shook his head, telling you, " I don't need it." You furrowed your eyebrows at that, insisting, "You do."  
  
  
  


"I don't."  
  


"You do."  
  


"I told you, I—" he trailed off when you tugged at his sleeves and looked up at him with an adorable pout. "Please?" You pleaded with your doe (e/c) orbs. His eye twitched before grabbing the amulet from your hand and shoving it into his pocket. You cheered when your attempt was a success and grinned cheekily as you clung onto his arm and pointed at an area where you will place write wishes on a wooden plate. 

"Let's make a wish, Kei- _kun_!" Kei groaned in annoyance and instantly agreed; pulling you to that area because if he didn't, you'll pull that pout stunt of yours again. You grabbed two pieces of _ema_ and gave one to him. You wrote your wish on it before hanging it and turning to the others who were also writing their wishes. Some were still thinking and asking others what their wishes were.   
  
  
  


You followed Kei's hand with your eyes, seeing him hang his _ema_ on top of yours. You were about to go on your tippy toes to look at what he wrote but Kuroo pulled you to his side. "We're going to sky tree next, kitten~" he told you and held your hand.   
  
  
  


Your mouth gaped open at the information before you cheered and walked with him to the exit; talking about how excited you were because you've only been there once as a child. The others followed: Noya and Tanaka were jumping around, excited to see THE sky tree, Suga and Ennoshita held onto them to make sure Daichi won't get mad, and others laughed at their behavior.  
  
  
  


"Kuroo- _nii_ , your hand is big! Years ago, it was also like this! Why did you have to grow!!" You exclaimed as you swung your hands by your side.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Hmm? Oh, yeah. You liked to hold my hand when you were younger." He remembered and locked your fingers. Kei heard that _( he was actually listening in to your conversation)_ and glared at your hands. Luckily for him, your cousin saw it too and pulled you away; hissing at Kuroo and holding your hand. Kuroo sweat dropped before walking backwards to Kei.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Jealous much, Tsukki? I felt your glares." Kuroo chuckled as he swung his arm around the blonde. Kei's ochre orbs narrowed into a glare. He ducked to get out of the bedhead's grip and walked faster to catch up to you and Kenma.  
  
  
  
  
  


"What was that, captain?" Yamamoto asked. Kuroo shook his head with a dreamy sigh. " Ah, youth."  
  
  
  
  
  


**. . .**   
  
  
  
  
  


"WOAH! IT'S THE SKYTREE!"  
  
  
  


"YEAH, NOYA- _SAN_! THIS TIME, IT'S THE REAL THING!" Noya and Tanaka yelled. You giggled by their side and gently pushed them inside, the others in tow; shaking their heads at their usual antics. Once everyone got in, Kuroo gave the tickets to the employee who bowed and said, "I'll be your tour guide for today. Hope we get along well!"   
  
  
  


"Thank you for having us." All of you bowed back and thanked him. He nodded out of respect and started to lead everyone up the Tokyo skytree.  
  
  
  
  
  


Hinata, Noya, Tanaka, and you were in front of the group with your eyes shining and shimmering splendidly like a child seeing a dinosaur in real life. _(R: like baby Tsukki singing a whole new world uwu)_  
  
  
  
  
  


Once you reached the top, the four of you immediately awed at the sight: the sky turning into a light purple and fading into orange hues while the buildings slowly turned up their lights to welcome the darkness that would soon envelope the sky and replace the clouds with twinkling stars.  
  
  
  
  
  


"You guys can view the city below," The tour guide told everyone and they instantly scattered into groups to view the sight. You scanned the surroundings, seeing your friends chatting happily. Hinata and Kageyama were bickering as always but this time, Tadashi was with them, trying to get them to stop. You tilted your head in confusion because he was typically at blonde's side.   
  
  
  
  
  


You searched for the blonde and turned to the right to see him by himself, his crossed arms laying upon the railings as the light from the setting sun highlighted his handsome features. You smiled and appreciated the sight before running up to him and hugging him from behind.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_ ~!" He rolled his ochre eyes at your sing-song voice. "Let go of me, _chibi_. Enjoy the view," he demanded, trying to shrug you off.   
  
  
  


_(R: You already did, right?_ _😉_ _)_   
  
  
  


You complied and unwrapped your arms around him, turning to the view and holding his hand, leaning into his side while intertwining your fingers with his. You liked doing that because it always felt right to hold his hand. It was so warm and it enclosed yours perfectly.. like it always did, when you were both young.  
  
  
  
  
  


The both of you stood there in silence, enjoying the breeze and the sunset. A fragment of the events earlier came up and curiosity hit you like a truck.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Kei- _kun_.. What did you write on your _ema_?" You asked, squeezing his hand.  
As always, he replied in a monotone voice, "If I tell you, it wouldn't come true..". Before you could speak, he continued, "It wouldn't come true anyways so I'll tell you... I wished for you to grow taller and have bigger hands." He smirked as he showed you your intertwined hands and leaned down to your height. You blushed in embarrassment and slapped his shoulder with your other hand, taking offense to what he said.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Hmmp, you'll see.." You pouted but then all of your airy atmosphere melted into a solemnity-filled one.  
  
  
  
  
  


" You know what I wished for?" Your question hung in the air as you looked at him from your peripheral. He shook his head, staring down at you and waiting for your next words even if his gut was twisting in anxiousness. You took in a breath and let it out as a shaky sigh. Mentally, you thought the sun was consoling you by setting down slowly so your tears won't rush down but they were already threatening to pour out of your glassy (e/c) hues as you spoke in a tiny voice," I wished that my mother will wake up soon.. In that way, my father won't push me away anymore and allow me to see her.." You blinked to clear your blurred vision.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Kei squeezed your hand reassuringly. " It's okay. Let it out.. (Y/N)." At the sound of your name, you swallowed the lump in your throat and turned to embrace him tightly; burying your face in his chest. You tried to hold it in like you always did, but Kei kept telling you to let it go, let it all out for the weight you're carrying on your shoulders to disappear. Even if you're already crying your bottled feelings out, it wouldn't work because it was already etched into your mind that it was all your fault and you have no one to blame—but yourself, only yourself..  
  
  
  
  
  


The others were alarmed to hear and see you crying so they were about to go and comfort you but Kei gave them a dead stare. Although, they were also concerned for you, they knew that he can handle it and quietly left the both of you alone. Tadashi glanced back and winced at your cries before ushering the freak duo out. Kei watched them do so, his chin on your head and his arms wrapped around you.  
  
  
  
  
  


He stroked your (h/c) tresses gently, a single thought striking his mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_**' I don't really care about stuff like writing on an ema.. but if there are gods out there to grant wishes, I'd take that .. I'd gladly take all the chances to make your wishes come true.. so I asked the gods to grant you all of yours..'** _   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	14. Shopping at Ginza District

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rina: This is a warning, okay? Those who aren't comfortable with the mention of depression and blood, please, skip the italicized part. (the flashback)
> 
> I have to remind you that this book has mature content so there would be more scenes like this in the future and some things aren't actually factual and just made up, oKei?

Once everything settled down—rather, when you passed out from crying, Kei took off his jacket and draped it around your body as he cradled you in his arms. Since the two of you were alone in the elevator, he could hear you murmuring in your sleep. Your words tugged at his heart strings painfully and he winced, biting on his bottom lip as he held you closer.

" All.. fault.. my fault.. all of it.." Although they weren't complete sentences, he pieced it together. It was actually quite a fortune to be in Tokyo with you right now because if you didn't come with him, he wouldn't be able to stay put. He wouldn't be able to pay attention to the matches and the conversations because his mind would be clouded with thoughts of you.

He didn't want what happened last training camp when you were sick to repeat; he hasn't even been able to move on from that yet. You were sick and asleep that day so he didn't wake you up and left, forgetting to leave a note and tell his mother. Admittedly, that was one of his greatest mistakes because when he got home, he lost all composure and the walls that barricaded his emotions fell at the heart-wrenching sight.

* * *

_The days at the training camp were hellish. Kei was badly beaten into shape by his upperclassmen. Kuroo and Bokuto always took away his chance to sleep early by asking him to do blocks for them. They never failed to provoke and annoy the wits out of him. He was thankful for Akaashi for being there and backing him up when necessary, but due to him spending his nights training at the third gymnasium, he lost the opportunities to call you or his mother to ask what you were doing._

_He was glad time passed by quickly and he was currently stepping onto the bus with his teammates in tow. They were very tired and their muscles ached so when their butts touched the seats, they instantly fell asleep; Kei was no exception. The whole ride was only filled with snores and their coaches talking in hushed whispers._

_It was past one in the morning when they were woken up by Shimizu and their coaches, they wiped the drool on the corner of their mouths and tried to blink the sleep away. Everyone was still hazy as they said their goodbyes and parted ways to go home._

_" Tsukki, good night," Tadashi told his friend as he turned left to his street. Kei just continued walking, he wasn't in the mood to do anything; he just wanted to go home and sink into his bed._

_He blinked, realizing that he forgot to message you. He settled on giving you a call since he felt that you would be awake at this hour. He once scolded you about your irregular sleeping patterns but stopped when you didn't give a shit to what he was saying._

_"H-Hello?" Perhaps he was wrong. He might've just woke you up. He felt a little lighter when he heard your voice and owing to his drowsy state, he failed to notice the difference between a groggy voice and a voice that was hoarse from crying. " Did I wake you up?" he asked, waiting for your response while passing his house to go to yours since he knew you were up anyway._

_A whimper coming from the other line made him pause. He snapped out of his sleepy state and glanced at his surroundings to see if it came from someone else, but he was alone. Ice was steadily growing in his veins as he haphazardly fumbled in his pockets to search for the keys to your house._

_Now that he was paying more attention, he could hear your companions scratching at a surface and your cries getting clearer as he finally unlocked your door. He kicked the door shut and dropped his bags, not bothering to take his shoes off and immediately climbed up your stairs even if it was risky because it was dark. At the top of it, he saw Yuki meowing at him, gesturing him to follow her quickly._

_Yuki led him to your room where Hachi was scratching on your door and howling. It only registered to his mind that he was still holding his phone against his ear when he heard you plead, " K-Kei-kun.. help.."_

_" Hang on—"He tried to turn the knob but it was locked. He slammed his body against it, not giving a fuck if his body was to be bruised later on. His utmost priority was breaking the door to see you._

_With one last push, the door went off of its hinges and he heaved out a relieved sigh._

_**But his moment was short-lived.** _

_Your lights were on and there was one contrasting color that straightaway called his ochre eyes' attention. The ice in his veins solidified, his breath hitched, he dropped his phone and he was numb; his feet rooted to the ground. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, and for once in his life, he was absolutely terrified._

_He never liked the color red and just merely tolerated it but now, he utterly despised it. He didn't want to believe his eyes, telling him that you were coated with it: your arms, your wrists, your thighs, and—oh god, why the fuck on your neck?! If it weren't for the fact that he could still see your chest rising and falling, he would've thought you were dead from your deathly pale visage._

_He mentally thanked Hachi and Yuki who snapped him back to his senses by nudging their heads on the back of his legs to urge him to move towards you. His voice was hoarse and filled with urgency as he told them, " Hurry and grab me some of her clothes!" They scurried off to his command and went through your closet._

_Kei knelt down and placed you onto his lap gently, his slender fingers sliding some of your (h/c) locks behind your ears. ' Stay calm, Kei. Don't panic. Breathe.' He composed himself even if it was hard to do as he pressed the cloth that Hachi gave him to the deep cuts that you made with one hand while the other was shakily reaching for his phone. He called the ambulance and told them to hurry to your address._

_Your wounds slightly stopped bleeding and he tried to see if you would answer. " (Y/N)? Answer me, please." He received no response and he was close to tearing up.. but then you opened your (e/c) orbs half-way._

_" You're okay.. You're going to be okay.." he kept mumbling, his words trying to reassure himself instead of you. He leaned down and placed his lips on your forehead, his thumb caressing your cheek as he cooed," Shh, you're going to be okay. The ambulance is coming."_

_" K.. Kei..kun?" Your tone was heart-breaking; it was weak and croaky. He shook his head, gesturing that he doesn't want you to speak but you've always been stubborn so you continued, asking him, " Where.. were you.. Kei-kun?"_

_" Don't talk. Stop—" Your next words made his heart clench in agony. " I.. was lonely.. Kei-kun.." Those were your last words before you passed out fro blood loss and his mother and the paramedics rushed in._

_All throughout the ride in the ambulance, Kei was holding onto your hand tightly, muttering the words, " I'm here now, (Y/N). I'm here.." while his mother leaned onto him and rubbed soothing circles into his back even though she was the one who was sobbing pathetically into her hand._

* * *

The instant that the elevator doors parted to let him through, his upperclassmen and fellow first-years greeted him. Already anticipating that they were about to spout questions, he told them, " She passed out so please kindly shut up." Kei didn't mean to use a rude tone but what he was about to tell them was important.

" Don't dare mentioning anything about what happened up there." From what he said, another set of questions were about to be asked but before they could, you stirred in Kei's arms and opened your eyes. You yawned and rubbed them to relieve the feeling of the soreness. Then you looked at Kei with a tilt of your head, asking, " Was I that sleepy that I asked you to carry me again, Kei- _kun_?"

He nodded. " I told you, you shouldn't have used up all your energy bouncing around like shrimpy over there," he scolded you and pointed at Hinata to emphasize. Hinata fumed, " Stingyshima, you bas— ow!" Kageyama punched him on the head, telling him to be quiet because you were talking.

" I was just admiring the sunset with you! And after that.. after that.." you trailed off, your mind completely blank. Kei clicked his tongue and placed you on your feet, holding onto your waist until you started to get used to standing on your own. You thanked him and he finished for you, " After that, you went to talk with Yamaguchi and the simpletons."

Tadashi and the simpletons blinked, clearly not remembering that happening but bit back their comments when they heard you accept his obvious lie, " Oh yeah! I remember—where's Shou- _kun_ and Tobio- _kun_? I was about to tell them more about N'Gapeth." Your (e/c) eyes searched for them amongst the boys and rushed towards them.

" Let's go to Ginza while I tell you—" They were startled when you clung onto their arms and dragged them towards the exit; bowing to show gratitude towards the tour guide who assisted everyone along the way. _(R: Apparently, it takes almost an hour and a half to walk to Ginza from the Tokyo Skytree but hey, this book is fictional so yeah)_

At the sound of your excited chatters slightly fading into the distance, they turned to the blonde with imaginary question marks popping out from everywhere.

" We need to follow those three first. I'll tell you while we keep watch on them," he said and turned to the exit. Tadashi was the first one to escape from his quiet state to follow his friend and shortly after, the others went too. They were determined to get the answers to their questions. Especially your cousin, Kuroo, and Tadashi: they wanted to grasp all the information that they didn't know about you yet. It pained them because even though you were very precious to them, they didn't know a single thing about you. Like a rare specimen of diamond, they wanted to have knowledge on how they could take care of you, how they can develop you, and how they can protect you so you could feel that you're definitely cherished..

" The human brain knows what's the best thing to do when it experiences trauma.. and one of those is choosing to forget.." Kei told them as he trained his eyes on you waving excitedly on the other side of the road with Hinata and Kageyama by your side. They were waiting for the stoplight to turn green so they can meet up with the three of you.

" So, (Y/N)- _chan_ doesn't remember that she broke down a while ago?" Suga asked for clarification and received a nod from the blonde. " Then.." They all swiveled their heads to Tadashi when he paused and looked at his friend directly in his eyes. " Why didn't her mind block off her mother's accident?"

Kei looked back at you to see you doing silly faces at him and shook his head fondly before replying to Tadashi, " Because.. the day it happened was also the happiest day of her life.."

The stoplight turned green and he visibly heaved out a sigh of relief. He already answered the most important questions so he was sure that he was free to go. He didn't want to say more, he couldn't say more—he can't because all he wanted was to see you smile like you are right now—giggling once he crossed the road and messed up your (h/c) locks.

" Kei- _kun!_ Stop it!" The others got their answers but weren't satisfied yet. They knew there were still more but they all agreed on dealing with it on another day as they followed the blonde's example and crossed the street before the stop light turns red and the vehicles start moving again.

**. . .**   
  


Presently, the boys didn't know why they were at women's clothing part of the department store. Just that, after knowing a bit of information about you, they knew that they shouldn't leave you alone. That, and the fact that you were beautiful and too kind for your own good, made you a victim to random guys hitting on you. Though Shimizu was with you, she got hit on too but she knew how to deal with those kind of situations and always pushed you to behind her back.

Some guys didn't like to be looked down by a girl so they didn't give up easily. But hey, they couldn't say no to a whole team giving them death stares that will haunt them for the rest of their lives, right?

Other than those kind of incidents, you were humming a happy tune while your hands searched for clothes with Shimizu helping you.

" I think this would suit you best, (Y/N)- _chan."_

"Really?! Then this would look pretty on you, Kiyo- _senpai!"_

The sight of the two beauties that Karasuno Boy's Volleyball Club took pride on for having them support the team, laughing and acting so carefree as they tested out clothes without wearing them, made them succumb into a dreamy atmosphere.

Your cousin went towards you, suggesting, " Why don't you try them on, (Y/N)- _chan_? We'll wait in front the changing room." Kenma just wanted to sit down so he could rest his aching feet, but he didn't want to ruin your cheery aura, hence, his suggestion. You agreed, furiously nodding your head and turned to Shimizu, saying, " Let's try them on, Kiyo- _senpai_!" Then you pulled her into one of the vacant stalls.

The boys heaved out a relieved sigh, they can finally sit down after an hour of standing and looking like a mafia group as they intimidated the guys that would hit on their girls. Everyone plopped down on the seats as they waited for you and Shimizu to finish changing, enjoying the soft cushions under their butts.

Your cousin flinched when he felt an arm slithering around his shoulders and turned to glare at the smirking culprit. " You just wanted to sit down, huh, Kenma?"

" I'm not the only one. You wanted to sit down too."

" I—yeah, you know what? I'll gladly agree with you this time," Kuroo told your cousin and messed up his bi-colored hair, earning a hiss from him. Your cousin acted too much like a cat and Kuroo loves those pretty felines so put two and two together, it wasn't that hard to fall in love with your cousin. _(R: Do you guys see what I'm doing :)) )_

Everyone's attention turned to the stalls when Shimizu emerged looking so cool and badass. Of course, the members of her 'PROTECT KIYOKO- _SAN'_ club _( Noya, Tanaka, and Yamamoto)_ didn't miss the chance to praise her.

" KIYOKO- _SAN,_ YOU'RE LOOKING BEAUTIFUL AS ALWAYS!!" They exclaimed with stars shining in their eyes. She nodded with a meek bow before turning to the stall where you popped your head out as you spoke in stutters, " I-I don't t-think I c-can come out, K-Kiyo- _senpai."_

She shook her head, walking towards you and pushing you gently out of the stall, causing all the males in the room to be silent as they took in your appearance and some of them felt very ashamed when their eyes dared to skim over your creamy thighs and defined collarbone. They were stunned.

You gulped at their reactions and bowed your head, heat pooling your cheeks as you gnawed on your bottom lip in anxiousness, your hands fumbling with the hem of your skirt.

" Aren't you showing too much skin, _chibi?"_ At that, you raised your head to look up at Kei, his back towards the males to block you from their sight. " But.. Kiyo- _senpai_ told me it'd look pretty on me.." You sulked, starting to think that it doesn't fit you like what your _senpai_ told you.

Kei was taken aback. He didn't mean his words to sound like they were demeaning you; in fact, it's quite the opposite, really. You're beautiful and every clothing that you wear, either cheap or expensive, a t-shirt or a dress, jeans or a skirt wouldn't change that fact. He knew that everyone thought the same, hence why he was covering you.

He cleared his throat, his lips parting to rephrase his statement but the others did it for him.

" (Y/N)- _chan_! Those clothes really suit you!"

" You're really pretty, (Y/N)- _chan_!"

" Prettier than always!"

You blushed at the compliments coming from behind the blonde's back _( but at the same time, there was this icky feeling when you heard the word 'pretty')_ and was about to step out to let them see you when Kei turned you around and pushed you into the changing room, leaning on the door so you wouldn't be able to get out.

" TSUKISHIMA, YOU BAST—"

" Kei- _kun!_ What was that for?" you asked from behind the door, your fists pounding onto it.

He avoided your question by asking another one, " Do you like those clothes? Change out of them so I can pay for it." You perked up at hearing his proposal and nodded your head furiously even though he couldn't see you. He endured having to deal with his upperclassmen's wrath and kept his weight onto the door until you knocked thrice to signal him that you were done.

" Knock, knock—"

" You're done? Give me that," Kei cut you off, grabbing the clothes from your hand and going to the counter to pay. He wasn't having another one of your _'knock, knock'_ jokes anytime now.

You pouted and crossed your arms. " Hmmp. Meanie. I wasn't even finished yet," you grumbled as you strutted over to him. The others stayed put, cooing as you did.

When you reached Kei, the lady behind the counter was questioning him, " Is this for your girlfriend?" He neither wanted not deny or accept her claim so he pretended not to hear her, but then you came.

" It's for me, miss! Kei- _kun_ 's just doing his job for his little sister! He's taller than me like a lot soo he's my big brother!" He tensed up, the word ' _brother'_ echoing endlessly in his mind as he stared into the distance questioning his sanity.

Contrary to popular belief, Kei's reaction was on full display and the lady behind the counter took pity on him as she handed him the bag. _'Poor him, getting brother-zoned.'_ He hasn't even confessed to you and yet—you're here; indirectly rejecting him.

You tugged on the hem of his shirt, asking, " What's wrong, Kei- _kun?"_ You were completely clueless and he hated it (Not you, he loves you; he could never hate you). You, being your naïve self just added fuel to the growing fire that was his irritation, threatening to cut the thread to his patience.

He abruptly swiveled on the heels of his feet as he told you with a click of his tongue, " It's nothing. Let's just go." He strode towards the exit and Tadashi instantly stood up, sending a worried glance to you before following the blonde.

" Let's go—(Y/N)- _chan?"_ You blinked, seeing your cousin's hand waving in front of your face. You met his questioning gaze and said, " It's nothing, Kenma- _nii_. Let's go follow them, yeah?" You clung onto his arm and pulled him out of the department store. Although he replied with a nod, he knew there was something wrong: your voice was quiet and you were lacking any bounces in your steps, your (e/c) orbs hazy and dim with a mixture of emotions he couldn't decipher; like the tall blonde, he was never good at expressing them anyway.

_You knew you were already a burden to Kei (actually, everyone) and you're pressuring him more because you were guileless and ignorant most of the time. You feel sick to your stomach every time you make Kei annoyed at you and it was honestly burying you deeper into the abyss of your self-deprecation. Like.. why weren't you in your mother's position right now? After all, it was solely your fault.._


	15. Make You Smile

Everyone wasn't used to see you in a sullen mood. How did they know, you ask? Well, firstly, your (e/c) orbs were dim and were looking into a faraway distance. Secondly, your lips weren't curved into your usual smile; they weren't even forming a frown, just slightly agape with no sounds coming out of them. Lastly, you didn't have the usual bounce in your step and you were quiet—when typically, you would be humming a cheery tune then chatting with your fellow first-years or with your cousin and Kuroo.

They were deeply concerned and some of them tried to question the tall blonde but he was apparently, in the same state as you are and it didn't even looked like he noticed the situation because of his headphones blocking every words or noises coming his way. He was submerged in his thoughts and didn't even pay attention when Tadashi left his side and went to the front of the group to go where you and the freak duo were.

They were trying to make you change your expression and go back to your bubbly self but they tried almost everything: they did their usual bickering and Hinata even gladly let Kageyama hit his head to see if you'll stop them but no; they even stopped at a stall that sold sweet _anpan_ bread and _taiyaki_ to buy two whole bags of it. They offered it to you but you bowed, shaking your head and with a quiet voice, you told them," I'm full but thank you, Shou- _kun,_ Tobio- _kun."_ Tadashi had known you for years so he knew for a fact that you never denied food. You love food and love it more when someone offers it, especially when it was sweets.

You have a humongous impact on everyone of them: if you were smiling, everyone would be affected by it and can't help but let smiles rise on their faces too but now, you were emitting a gloomy atmosphere so they were also feeling down. Yes, you weren't crying but this sight still made their hearts ache.

Tadashi had to do something. He needed to do something. After all, from the moment you and the blonde saved him from his bullies, he swore to forever be indebted to the both of you. He'd do anything that'll make the both of you happy, even if he gets hurt along the way.

"(Y/N)- _chan?_ Are you sure you don't want to eat? This one's filled with sweet red bean paste," he told you and grabbed the bag of _taiyaki_ out of Hinata's hands. You languidly turned to him and finally gave a smile, taking the bag from his hands.

**But no.** It wasn't your smile. It was forced, it didn't reach your eyes; it looked like it even pained you to give a smile.

You thanked him with a bow of your head, " _Arigatou_ , Tada- _kun_. I'm sorry for asking this.. but can you give these to the others? I'm not really hungry." You pushed the bag to force it into his hands before starting to walk again with the freak duo instantly following so they can guard you.

_'Oh no,'_ Tadashi thought as he felt his heart sink. Whatever was happening, it wasn't because of your childishness anymore. This time, it was serious; they needed to snap the blonde out of his trance now. At that, he backtracked his steps to his friend's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. " Tsukki?" he called but got no response. He pursed his lips and went towards his upperclassmen to ask them for help.

He started, " _Ano.._ Kozume- _san,_ Kuroo- _san,_ do you know what we can do? Tsukki's not responding and if this goes on longer.." His olive eyes scanned their group to emphasize, " I don't think everyone's going to last." Your cousin and Kuroo nodded in understanding, they knew the effect you have on people; how you zap them of their energy when you feel down and vice-versa.

" Well, the first thing is to get Tsukki to snap out of whatever daze he's in. The second thing is that we're going to a place that'll surely lift her spirits up. She loves arts so if we take her to an art store, more so, if it's a one of a kind, she'll be back to herself in no time," Kuroo told them with a grin and expectantly looked at your cousin for his approval.

Kenma sighed and said, " As much as I hate to say this, Kuroo's right. Let's try doing one of them. " Everyone nodded and set the plan into action. Tadashi was about to approach his best friend again when he heard the blonde's phone ring.

Kei blinked at the feeling of vibration from inside his pocket, going out of his trance once he saw the caller id. He answered the call, " _Kaa-san?"_

_" I'm so sorry I haven't called sooner, Kei! I fell asleep when I got home from buying groceries,_ " his mother told him from the other line. Kei shrugged even though his mother wouldn't see it and said, " It's okay. You should rest if you're tired, mom."

He heard her click her tongue. _" You know I can't do that, Kei! Not without knowing what's happening with my daughter! Where's (Y/N)-chan? Her phone's not responding."_ At the mention of your name, Kei's amber irises looked for you because you weren't beside him and spotted you far ahead with the freak duo by your sides.

" Don't worry, she's with Hinata and Kageyama at the front of our group," he replied then added, " Her phone broke this morning so by any means, you can't contact her for now." His mother sighed in relief, now knowing anything didn't happen to you and asked, " _Why aren't you with my daughter right now, Kei? Did something happen?"_

_'Mother's instincts are terrifying,'_ Kei thought and cleared his throat, intending to hide his situation by changing the topic, " You're talking as if she's your only child, I'm your son, mom." He should've known that his mother would see through his attempt. She's his mother, after all.

_" Trying to change the topic now, huh, mister? It's not working so tell me what happened. All of it."_ Kei gulped at his mother's stern tone and scoffed before telling her what happened.

" I know you treat her as your daughter and _Nii-chan_ sees her as our little sister but I.." he trailed off, not knowing what to say. Thankfully, his mother understood. _" My son finally realized it!"_ she exclaimed on the other end and he was sure that she was also raising her hands up in the air.

He creased his brows, inquiring, " What do you mean, mom?" He heard her giggle and knew she was smiling when she told him, _" I actually saw this coming years back.."_ He held back his comments and allowed her to continue, _" You see.. from the moment (Y/N)-chan entered our lives, our lives changed tremendously. I knew we all wanted to have a new addition to our family: I wanted a daughter and both of my sons wanted a little sister. She came and she's absolutely perfect as the new member. She was the same age as you so I figured I should allow you to look after her and see if she'd soften your salty attitude to other kids. But unfortunately, you stayed rude to them. (Y/N)-chan was the only exception.."_

" What are you trying to say, mom?" She shushed him from the other line and continued, nostalgia present in her voice, " _So I thought with pride swelling in my chest, ' My son's soft spot is his little sister, how cute!' But then one day you came home from school asking me, ' Mom, what's a soulmate? Is it true that dad's your soulmate?' I was shocked to say the least. I knew my Kei was never interested in things like that so I asked, ' Why? What's this all about?' You replied with a smile that I seldom see you wear and there was this cute pink blush dusted on your cheeks, ' (Y/N)'s my soulmate! Shiomi-sensei told me about them and all of her description perfectly matched what I feel towards her!' You were so enthusiastic about it, maybe more than your dinos—"_

"Mom! Just- just please continue." She laughed from the other line and obliged, " _I questioned you about what you felt and you said, ' When you placed her beside me after knowing about her story, I always had the thought that I need to protect her at all times and never let her get hurt by all means! Though I tease her, I just do that to see her pout. It's really cute, mom. Oh and there's this something—uh, in my heart, I don't know, I feel warm and fuzzy whenever she smiles at me. I always want to see her smiling because it feels great!' or something along the lines of that and boy was I dumbfounded. My Kei and his father said the exact same thing! Though yours was a bit all over the place since you were just a kid back then, it was a bit similar."_

Kei didn't remember any of that but he knew his mother wasn't lying to him but he was lost. What was she trying to say? As if she read his mind, she said, " _Like I said, from that moment onwards, I observed you and saw it in your eyes. I knew that what you were feeling towards (Y/N)-chan wasn't love that a big brother would give for his younger sister. You were still too young at that time but love can develop from any age and you did, for (Y/N)-chan. But from what you said, she only sees you as her big brother, correct?"_

Kei's mood soured and he grunted as his reply. His mother sighed wistfully from the other line. " _I always saw the two of you ending up together, meaning that would officially make (Y/N)-chan my daughter.. But Kei, even if it wouldn't end up like that, still protect her and make her happy at all costs, okay?"_ Her son was quiet, dealing with the harsh blows of her words. It hurt him to think of you ending up with someone that's not him but he recuperated at her next words, " _Don't give up yet 'cause it's never too late, Kei! If I must remind you, you're my and your father's son so I know you'd win (Y/N)-chan's heart as easy as a piece of cake! Your father got me easily, you know?" She giggled._

He rolled his eyes then raised a brow, " Anything else, mom?" She hummed in thought before asking, " _You're in Tokyo, right?"_ He replied ' _yes'_ and let her continue, " _Don't spend everything on your dinosaurs and treat (Y/N)-chan for me, okay? I'm going to start preparing dinner now so I'll call you later, Kei!_ " His mother hung up and he breathed out a sigh, feeling some of the weigh on his shoulder lifted from talking with her.

Now where were you— " Tsukki?" Kei turned to meet a pair of worry-filled olive orbs. " What?" he asked, his amber eyes straying to the others and widening a fraction when they saw their states. The usual noisy bunch (Noya, Tanaka, Yamamoto) was at the back, mouths zipped, shoulders slumped, and they looked deprived of energy; like their souls were sucked out of them.

" What's with them, Yamaguchi?" His friend rubbed his arm and told him," It's (Y/N)- _chan.._ " Kei raised a brow and looked ahead of the group where you are with the simpletons. He squinted to see what was wrong: observing Hinata making silly faces, Kageyama stuffing his face with bread, and.. what the hell. You weren't.. smiling?

Kei furrowed his brows and took long strides towards you, remembering his mother's words. He barely saw the looks of relief on both of Hinata and Kageyama's faces, although the latter was just scowling.

" Oi, _chibi,"_ he started. You swiveled around to face him. He thought he was hallucinating when he saw you weren't smiling but apparently, that wasn't the case. " What's wrong?" He was about to place his hand on your shoulder but you flinched away and bowed your head before running to the next destination.

" (Y-Y/N)- _chan?!"_ Hinata ran after you so you wouldn't be alone and Kageyama was in tow. They were looking back at the tall blonde that was frozen and were having the same thoughts as everyone else. If Kei couldn't turn you back into your bubbly self then neither can they.

Suga turned to Kuroo with panicked eyes, asking, " What do we do now, Kuroo- _san_? Plan 1 didn't work and Tsukishima might go back into his daze." He looked at the tall blonde who was walking while staring at his hand. Kuroo gnawed on his bottom lip because he knew that plan 1 was better than plan 2. Kei was their salvation; everyone knew for a fact that he's the only one who can make you smile again.

" We need to wait 'til we reach the art store.. and hopefully, they can last 'til then." Kuroo pointed at the back at Noya, Tanaka, and Yamamoto who were looking like old people. For once, everyone let out a laugh. It's true that your impact on them is tremendous but how can they make you smile if they're also feeling down? At that thought, they tried cheering each other up.

Tadashi went to his friend's side, snapping out of his thoughts when he called him, " Tsukki?" Kei clicked his tongue and said, " Don't call me that, Yamaguchi." Tadashi felt relieved that the blonde wasn't completely down by your reaction earlier. But it was weird, you never flinched away from his grasps.

Both of them were shocked when Kuroo went between the two of them and slung his arm over the blonde's shoulders. " Sucks to be rejected, huh, Tsukki?" Kei just glared at him. He didn't need to remind him twice that he was rejected unintentionally twice now. He clicked his tongue and ducked out of his _senpai's_ arms and headed off with Tadashi at tow.

" You shouldn't have done that, Kuroo," Your cousin reprimanded the rooster head who just let out a dreamy sigh. " Ah, youth." He earned a look of disgust from Kenma. " Stop acting like you're an old man, it's disgusting. You're only a year older than me." Your cousin stomped off, his hands shoved into his pockets as he grumbled about Kuroo.

Kuroo clutched at his chest, repeating your cousin's words, " Kenma.. called me disgusting?" Yaku suddenly appeared beside him and nodded his head, agreeing, " Indeed, you are." Kuroo growled and trapped the shorter male into a noogie, Kai was beside them trying to calm them down.

They stopped when Suga stepped in front and told them, " I have a plan.. So we should.." Everyone listened and nodded their heads in approval. Of course, that's what they would do, they needed you to smile, after all.

You panted and you almost fell to your knees but luckily, Kageyama caught you by the arms. " Are you alright, (Y/N)- _san?"_ he asked while he allowed you to lean against him while catching your breath, his arm draped around your shoulder to steady you.

" (Y/N)- _chan_ , here drink up." Hinata offered you an extra water bottle that he bought from the _taiyaki_ stand, opening the lid so you won't have to. You thanked him weakly and gulped down half of it.

You always had a low stamina so you didn't know why you took off, running away from the tall blonde. Just that when you saw his hand that was reached out for you, you were reminded of the times he helped you, protected you; how many times you became a bother to him. You couldn't count how many times it was but you didn't want to burden him anymore. You didn't want to be a burden to anyone.

You heard thuds of footsteps approaching you and then hands were on your shoulder. " (Y/N)- _chan!_ Are you okay? What happened?" Tadashi's olive hues were wide with concern as he scanned your features. You just shook your head to dismiss it. " It's okay, Tada- _kun_.. I'm just tired of running, is all," you assured him then bowed your head down as you thought, _'I did it again. All I do is make everyone worry. They shouldn't worry for someone like me..'_

" (Y/N)- _chan.."_ Tadashi looked over at his shoulder and nodded at his seniors, signaling that it's time for the plan to be set to action. They nodded and began entering the art store, dragging Hinata and Kageyama with them because they didn't want to go in and leave your side. Tadashi wrapped his arms around you and laid his chin on your head, patting your back softly before gently letting go, following the other's actions and went inside.

As soon as all of them went inside, Kei approached you. You took a step back but he was faster and caught your wrists in his hands. You didn't struggle and just stayed in your position, still bowing your head. You didn't want to face him.

" _Chibi._ Look at me," he demanded, holding your wrists in one hand and tilting your chin up when you refused to lift your head. He clicked his tongue, his brows creasing because of your stubbornness: your (e/c) orbs were looking downwards though he lifted your head.

Kei sighed and let go of your chin, holding your wrists in both of his hands and crouching down to meet your eye-level. " Look at me.." he started, squeezing your hand then continued, " ..(Y/N)." You planned to stay stubborn until he gave up but his voice sounded so raw, so uninhibited; full of emotions. You couldn't help but look at him.

He rolled his amber eyes and with a smirk on, he said, " You want me to call you by your name _that_ bad, huh?" Your bottom lip quivered and you teared up for the third time this day. " I'm sorry, Kei- _kun_.. I just don't want to be a burden to you—"

" Tch. Don't apologize. You are a burden, you crybaby," he cut you off then embraced you, not allowing you to go back to your dark thoughts. " Everyone carries a burden and you're the one I carry even though you're heavy," he paused when you weakly thumped him on the chest, grumbling and denying what he said, " I'm not heavy." Yeah, you weren't. He knows that better than anyone but he just said that to somehow lift your mood.

His back was aching so he stood up straight with you still in his arms, snorting when you let out an adorable squeak. He laid his chin on your head as he spoke, " It's fine though. You're a burden that I'd gladly carry.." You pulled away and looked at him, your hands on top of his shoulders as you smiled.

**Ah, there it was.**

Kei mentally sighed in relief and decided to do one last thing to ensure that you're back to normal. His small smile turned into a taunting smirk. " Just don't be too heavy or I'll be forced to drop you," he told you. Your reaction was priceless. Well, it always was.

You gasped and pouted, telling him to let you down. He obliged and watched as you strutted off with your head held high.. while looking like a penguin. At the thought, he stifled his laughter with a hand and followed you in the art store.

_**'Thank you, Kei-kun.. For making me smile..'** _


	16. Back to Normal

The plan was for Kei to make you go back to your normal state but that didn't work a while ago so they decided to set another plan into action in courtesy of Suga. Each and every one of them would contribute a sufficient amount of money and use it to buy art materials. They thought it would be an easy task but when they entered and saw the columns and rows of paint tubes in different colors and types, they didn't know what to choose.

Luckily, the store owner came to their rescue and suggested them to buy a sketching book, a watercolor pad, paint brushes, graphite pencils, or canvasses instead. They agreed at the owner's suggestion and thanked her before telling her that they'd pay for it. Exactly at the time that the owner gave them the receipt, you came waddling in with puffed cheeks.

Your (e/c) eyes held their usual sparkle then they glimmered once they landed on the array of painting tubes. Immediately, you were in front of them and scanning them for the hues you like and would use in the future. Kei followed from behind you, still snorting at the way you stomped off, and before he could attempt another remark to tease you with, someone pulled him backwards.

He glared at the culprit and shook his arm off him. " What do you want, Kuroo- _san?"_ Kuroo smirked and gestured to the others who were now rejuvenated once they heard you humming a tune happily as you looked at what you picked. " Mind telling us how you did it, Tsukki?" the bedhead asked while the others pretended to be busy in scanning the cute handmade stationeries so they could listen on in their conversation. It _was_ about you after all so they needed to know too.

" What makes you think that I'd tell you?" Kei muttered with a roll of his eyes, then strolled over to you when you tried to reach for a tube of paint placed at the top shelf. He snickered, holding the paint tube that you were eyeing in his hand. He acted like he was observing it, twirling it with his fingers while smirking down at you. " Why do you keep on reaching for things at the top shelf when you're such a _chibi?_ "

You jumped and swiped the paint tube from his hand. Actually, no. You swiped at air when the paint tube that was in your reach was now being held above his head. " _Mou,_ Kei- _kun!_ I'm not Shou- _kun!_ I can't jump that high!" you exclaimed in frustration, jumping on your tippy toes. Some facepalmed while others grew irk marks at Kei's actions. They were about to scold him or get the paint for you but halted when you did the unexpected.

Kei thought you were giving up when you breathed out sharply but you went closer to him, pressing your body onto his as you went up on your tippy toes. You placed a hand on the back of his neck and the other on his shoulder to push yourself up. He tensed at your actions and his hand dropped a little, making it easier for you to grab it; leaning your weight on him and _almost_ pressing your breasts against his face if he didn't turn his head to the side in time.

" Yes, I got it!" You giggled, jumping down from him and heading to the counter to pay. You were too into your own world to notice the effect you had on the blonde. Kei was covering his face with a hand, feeling it burning from under his touch. " Tsukki.." Tadashi didn't know whether to go to you to give you what they bought or to go to Kei so he could tease him. The latter seemed more appealing so he went to the tall blonde.

" Tsukki, are you alright?" Tadashi only received a click of his tongue and his usual response. " Shut up, Yamaguchi.." Kei paused, looking at Tadashi's hand that held the bag with the logo of the art store printed on it. He raised a brow at his friend, the heat on his face dissipating. " You never told me you were also into arts."

Tadashi shook his head, denying his claim. " No, that's not it. We bought these for (Y/N)- _chan."_ Kei furrowed his brows, repeating his words, " ' _We'? "_

" Yes, _we._ We thought that you wouldn't be able to make (Y/N)- _chan_ go back to her usual self so we agreed on contributing a certain amount to buy her these." Kei hummed, his amber eyes trailing to you who were now surrounded by a rambunctious bunch, awing at whatever you were painting on the postcard. He shrugged, deciding to turn on his heels and exit the store because if he went to you, he'll be crowded by nosy people. Tadashi followed him and soon, the others went filing out.

Once again, the freak-quick duo were at your sides; being your guards or whatever they were trying to act as. Kei continued to silently observe you, making sure that you won't go back to that state for the second time this night. He was only brought out of his focus when they heard a stomach growling.

" What was that, _boke?"_ Kageyama smirked at the ginger head. Hinata glared at him with a pout." I can't help it! I'm hungry.." he grumbled, his hands clutching his stomach. You giggled and told them, " I think I know a good place to eat at."

You turned to the others. " Are you guys up for sushi? Or ramen?" you questioned with a tilt of your head and a smile. Everyone nodded, some more than once and with more energy. They were tired and hungry so they wouldn't be picky about food now. Besides, if you knew a good place that was near to the current location, it would definitely be as good as you said. " That's great! It's only a short walk from here. Kuroo- _nii_ knows where it is since we frequented going there as kids."

Your cousin snorted while playing on his POP. " We visit a lot in the past only because Kuroo loves their grilled mackerel." Kenma hissed when he was caught in a noogie by Kuroo. " Now, don't say that, Kenma~ You're making the other food look bad." They started walking with Kuroo's arm around Kenma's shoulders to keep him close to him. It was his subtle way of showing the latter that he likes him. Maybe being oblivious was common in your mother's side of the family because your cousin also doesn't take his flirting and other hints seriously, like how you are with the blonde.

" Okay, let's go! Try not to stray away from the group. Especially, the four of you." Daichi turned to the mentioned males with hollow eyes. They turned blue, sweating nervously as they nodded. Everyone laughed before falling into their own conversations about what sushi to eat or if they want their ramen spicy or mild.

You went in between your childhood friends but before you could hook your arms with theirs, a ring tone was heard. Kei took his phone out and saw his mom's caller ID. He glanced at Tadashi, letting him know to go first and he'll follow. Tadashi nodded and pulled you along to the back of the group while Kei walked behind the two of you, at a fair distance so you wouldn't know what he was talking about with his mom; at a fair distance where he could still watch you closely.

" _Kei! Did you made up with my daughter? Where is she?"_ His mom always made it sound like she's only calling because of you, but of course, he knew better. His mom loves the both of you and Akiteru equally. You were like the only daughter of the Tsukishima family so it's natural to be more protective of you. Her sons didn't need protection, she knew that they could protect themselves. Besides, her sons—rather, son, Kei already scared away a lot of people just from his intimidating height and sour personality ever since childhood.

" You made it sound like we fought.." Kei sighed. It _was_ kind of true. " She's right up front with Yamaguchi, do you want to talk to her?" he questioned, wincing and taking the phone away from his ear when his mother squealed her response, _" Of course!! Hurry! I want to talk to my daughter! I missed her!"_

Kei rolled his eyes then caught up to the two of you. He barely paid attention to the bashful smile on Tadashi's face as he listened to your rambles about your newly bought set of paint tubes while you clung onto his arm. Basically, everyone's bashful when you're close to them, his friend _(and maybe himself)_ was no exception.

" Oi, _chibi_. Mom wants to talk to you," Kei told you, pulling at the back of your shirt to catch your attention. You took the phone from his hand and greeted your mom, getting lost in your chat with her to even notice Kei taking your place beside Tadashi. He arched a brow towards him, asking, " What did _chibi_ ramble on about this time, Yamaguchi?"

Tadashi rubbed his nape sheepishly as he replied, " I honestly don't know, Tsukki.. I wasn't _exactly_ paying attention to her words." Kei snorted a that. You talk about the most random things, they couldn't keep up most of the time.

After a few more minutes of walking, you reached your destination. The place was quite small so only two or three tables weren't occupied by the group. Everyone split up since one table can only hold four people. As per usual, you were sitting beside Kei; your cousin and Kuroo sitting across you. When the plates of sushi came, you payed your respects before eating a piece of fatty tuna dipped in soy sauce mixed with wasabi.

" I think I fell in love with this place all over again."

" What nonsense are you spouting, _chibi_? You're a foodie. You _always_ fall in love with a restaurant after you eat their food." You turned to Kei at his statement. He was right, you couldn't deny it. He smirked when you turned your attention to him and added, " I wouldn't be surprised if you follow a stranger saying they have food in the trunk of their car."

You pouted at his snickering. " But you'll stop me, right, Kei- _kun?"_ you asked with a tilt of your head and Kei _almost_ choked on nothing at your words, his amber orbs narrowing into slits. He couldn't give a retort back so he scowled, grumbling something under his breath. " Just focus on eating, _chibi."_ You happily complied and debated on what to eat first: the eel or the crab?

" Kenma, if you don't eat, I'll confiscate your POP again." You heard Kuroo tell your cousin. Kenma scowled and kept his gaming device, paying his respects to the food and begrudgingly shoving a piece of sushi roll into his mouth. " Ah, what a good little kitty~"

Kenma swallowed his food first before glaring at the bedhead beside him. Kuroo chuckled nervously, raising his hands up in defense. " Alright, alright~ I'll stop." Your cousin's glare wavered and he paid attention to you, a smile forming on his lips as he questioned you, " Does it taste good, (Y/N)- _chan?"_

You nodded furiously, swallowing the food then chatting with your cousin. Kuroo went silent, his teasing smirk morphing into a genuine smile; his russet eyes were soft. Kei felt irritated, thinking, _' Is he staring at you?'_ He followed where his eyes were directed at and mentally facepalmed at his realization. Kuroo's expression was similar to his whenever he watched you secretly.

Kei was relieved, he could rest easy knowing that the one Kuroo is interested in is your cousin, not you. He heaved out a sigh, earning the bedhead's attention. " What's wrong, Tsukki?"

" Please don't call me that, Kuroo- _san._ " Kei refused to let the older male know that he disliked him because he thought he was going to snatch you away from him. Not that you were his to begin with. Thinking more about that matter, Kei allowed himself to be lost in his thoughts. He was already finished eating and you were too busy babbling about what-nots with your cousin and Kuroo to force him to eat more food.

_' I keep getting jealous when you're not even mine. Who knows, you might already be liking someone else. Who is it, is it the shrimp? The great king? The king? It better not be the king. Maybe Yamaguchi, I'll accept it easier. No, no. You're not dating any of my teammates, I'll make sure of it.'_ Kei shook his head to clear his thoughts. Why was he even thinking about that? It's your choice to date whomever you like; he has no say in it.

Everyone was finished eating by now and waiting for the bill so they could pay. You leaned on Kei, noticing his lips etched into a frown and his brows knitted. " Kei- _kun_? What's wrong?" He just groaned in response, his shoulders slumping. " Can we go back?" Kei wanted to sleep so he could wash his thoughts away, plus, he was tired from all the walking they did today. He wanted to take a warm bath to soothe his sore muscles.

" Kuroo- _nii_ , we're done for today, right?" you asked, turning to him. He nodded and gave the payment to the waiter, announcing that it's time to leave. Everyone stood up and said thanks for the food, gathering their belongings and filing out of the place. You and Kei were the last ones to exit. You searched for Kei's hand and held it with yours. There was actually a secret as to why you like holding warm hands so much. Warm hands reminded you of your mother's; it was the only thing you could remember her by.

The night before yesterday, you had a dream about her accident again. You tried to remember her face and her voice because you saw and heard it in the dream but you couldn't. Your parents' faces and voices were now unfamiliar to you and it terrified you. " Kei _-kun_ , can I sleep beside you tonight?" Kei was slightly taken aback by your question but at the same time, not. Whenever you slept without him, the possibility of you having nightmares was high.

Back at home, you had Hachi and Yuki to help you when he couldn't but when he could, the both of you either sleep in his room or yours. This time, at the training camp, he forgot to inform Daichi, Shimizu, and the coaches due to the fatigue of relentless training and practice matches. He gave your hand a small squeeze and muttered a quiet, " Sure."

Kei planned on telling his captain and the coaches now but he paused in his tracks when you didn't move from your spot. He glanced back at you, only to see you doing the same as him and staring at the person who grabbed your wrist from behind you in shock.

" (Y/N).."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rina: Who do you think it is? I cut it off on purpose so I apologize if this is short. :<


	17. Someone From the Past

" Is your full name.. perhaps, (L/N) (Y/N)?" A hooded figure asked you, his grip on your wrist tightening, but not enough to hurt you. In an instant, Kei pulled you behind his back and gave the hooded figure a cold stare. When they took a step forward, Kei pushed you more behind his back, shielding you from whatever danger was coming. He didn't need to worry though, the voice was familiar and sparked memories from when you were a child.

You stepped out from behind Kei, earning a confused mixed with a little panic glance towards your way. You gave him a reassuring smile and slowly walked in front of the hooded figure. Tadashi was confused when he didn't see you nor the blonde so he looked back, only to see the blonde shielding you from the hooded figure. He told the group and they were about to sprint and come to your rescue when they saw you walk up to the hooded figure.

Kei's ochre eyes flashed in alarm when he saw their hands move upwards. His mind immediately thought of the worst scenario: of the hooded figure taking out a weapon and striking you with it or run with you in their grasps. His hand reached out to grab your shirt and pull you to safely, at the same time that the hooded figure pulled his hood down; revealing his face.

" S-Sakusa- _san?"_ You wanted confirmation from the middle-aged man himself. His short and neatly cut raven hair and his tall stature were as you could remember. His tired black orbs still had the same warm glint in them when he successfully managed to pull you out of your mother's room on _that_ fateful day.

* * *

_" Papa, I'm sorry! It's my fault!" The powerless little (h/c) haired girl could only cry in the nurse's hold as she was taken to somewhere far from her mother's room. The other doctors, nurses, and patients stared at her with sympathy. Something traumatizing such as seeing your mother get hit by a car and seeing her life slipping away right in front of your eyes isn't something a child should experience. What's sadder is the fact that instead of her own kin comforting her, someone else did because her father pushed her away; burning his words into her mind: that it was her fault that her mother is in the state she's in, that it was solely her fault and only hers._

_" Shh.. stop saying that. It's not your fault, (Y/N). It was an accident." As comforting as the raven haired nurse's words sounded like, they didn't do anything to console her. Her innocent mind was already clouded by her father's words, echoing through her ears in an endless manner. She whimpered, clutching at the older male's uniform and getting it wet from her tears. The male continued to coo and smooth over her (h/c) tresses until they were inside the elevator. He gestured for the other people to let him pass alone with the girl and they agreed, feeling their hearts tighten at the sight._

_As soon as they reached the ground floor, the male took long strides to his car. He unlocked the driver's seat then sat down with the crying girl on his lap. He closed the door and went back to consoling her, now rubbing circles into her back and massaging her scalp gently. " Shh, (Y/N), shh.. Your papa didn't mean that. It wasn't your fault, please don't blame yourself." The girl still continued to chant her father's words; it made his heart ache at the possibility of her growing up by those dreadful words._

_" Your mama wouldn't be happy if she saw you like this now, wouldn't she?" He tried an attempt to stop her cries and it succeeded. The girl's sobs now decreased into sniffles. " I-I'm sorry, Sakusa-san. I got your shirt wet," she apologized as she pulled away with her head bowed down. She only raised her head when she heard his chuckle._

_He smiled at her and got a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe her face free of snot and tears. " Smile. Your mama always told you that you look prettier when you smile, right?" The girl nodded and complied, her smile not reaching her eyes. He sighed. That was the best that he could get from her now._

_" I'm taking you back to my place so you could take a warm bath—"_

_" With Kiyoo-nii?" The male nodded, smiling fondly as he ruffled her hair, replying, " Yes, with your Kiyoo-nii. That son of mine wouldn't mind taking a bath with you. He'll even scrub your back to rid of the germs." He laughed, already imagining his son saying that with a disgusted face._

* * *

The male smiled. " Yeah.. it's me. How are you, (Y/N)?" he asked, earning a bright smile from you as you chirped, " I'm doing great! I missed you, Sakusa- _san.."_ You gave him a short but tight embrace before pulling away. You knew you should've hugged him longer to thank him for being the second father figure before and after your mother's accident, but Kei definitely had other plans. He pulled you behind his back again and took a step forward, intimidating the man by looking down at him.

Sakusa- _san_ by nature was kind so he didn't—okay, he _did_ feel a little intimidated. He cleared his throat and questioned Kei, " Are you (Y/N)'s boyfriend?" Kei blushed but he wasn't going to let that distract him from getting an answer out of him so he gave him a blank stare, causing shivers to go up the older male's spine. Sakusa- _san_ held his hands up in defense and backed away, chuckling while shaking his head, telling the blonde, " Don't worry. I'm not someone that you should be wary of.." he trailed off to see if he would still explain himself. He sighed, seeing the blonde still on to him.

" I was a nurse in her father's hospital. I often took care of her whenever her parents weren't around," he explained, observing how the blonde's posture relaxed a bit. Meanwhile, you were blinking to process that you were once again staring at the back of Kei's jacket. You frowned and gave his back a punch. It wasn't strong, you didn't hold that much strength in you anyways but it caught his attention. He looked at you for a second before turning his focus back to the older male.

Kei raised a brow, inquiring, " _Was?"_ Sakusa- _san_ nodded and said, " I resigned the day after her mother's accident." Kei was about to ask more but you butted in, " I didn't know about that.. Is that why you were with Kiyoo- _nii_ and I for a whole day before I was sent to live in Miyagi?" Kei's brows furrowed. _' Kiyoo-nii? Who's that? Another cousin?'_

" Yes.. but before we could talk more about that matter.. can you come with me? I'm paying your mother a visit.." He gestured to a luxurious looking car parked by the side of the road. " She can't. We were about to go back," Kei answered for you, about to turn on his heels and go back to the group but you stopped him by tugging at his sleeve. He looked down at your wide, pleading (e/c) eyes, and at the adorable pout on your lips, sharply exhaling through his nose and squinting his eyes.

Kei looked away from you and clicked his tongue, " Tch. She's going but I'm going with her." He held your wrist and dragged you with him, following the older male to his car. His ochre eyes went to the group and met with Tadashi's olive ones. He raise his thumb and pinky to tell him that he'd sent him a message before entering the car once you did. Once everyone in the car was buckled up, Sakusa- _san_ started the car and took a left turn.

" Yamaguchi! Who was that man?! Where is he taking (Y/N)- _chan_ and Tsukishima?!" Tadashi turned to the person whose hand was on his shoulder and gave a sheepish smile, shrugging his shoulders. " I don't know too, Sugawara- _san.._ but don't worry, Tsukki told me that he'd message me."

Right as he ended his sentence, his phone chimed in his pocket. He took it out and read the new message, smiling then showing it to his senior.

* * *

**_From: Tsukki_ **

**_To: Yamaguchi_ **

**_Subject: We're fine._ **

_Go back without us. We're paying a visit to chibi's mother._

* * *

" Visit (Y/N)- _chan_ 's mother?.. Would she be alright?" Suga's brows furrowed in concern, his lips pursing as he thought on the worst that could happen. Tadashi nodded and told him, " (Y/N)- _chan_ 's going to be alright, she's with Tsukki after all.." Something shone in his eyes but went unnoticed when his senior told everyone about the information he got. " Tsukishima messaged Yamaguchi! He told us not to worry, they're fine!"

Most of them still have doubts but when they thought about it again, Kei wouldn't let anything bad happen to you. **_Or at least_..** he wouldn't do it on purpose.

Kei thought that once in the car, your mouth would run with questions.. but you were quietly listening to Sakusa- _san_ tell you all about what happened since he last saw you. " So yeah.. after resigning, I started my own business that boomed in success. Unfortunately, that caused me to go on business trips that last for days, leaving less time for my children. My daughter's all grown-up now and she's in the business but my son.." He sighed, stopping at the red light and looking at you and Kei in the mirror.

" I grew distant with him. I used to bring him with me to the hospital back when I was a nurse. He actually didn't like going with me because he said that even though the hospital is clean, it's also the place with a lot germs, but when he met (Y/N), he was always prepared when we'd go and always went to find her. She's the only friend he had that wasn't weirded out by his clean freak habits." You smiled, remembering your childhood friend while Kei was lost. _'Just who is he talking about? His son? Why did he resign?'_

Kei couldn't sit still. If you weren't going to ask questions, he was going to be the one to do it but first, he'll let you wear his headphones and let you listen to his music. The older male understood what he was doing and said nothing. When Kei was sure that you couldn't hear his words, you startled him. You nuzzled your head into his arm, wanting it to be wrapped around you. Pink hue dusted his cheeks but he still complied, holding you close to him.

Kei cleared his throat before starting. " Um, Sakusa- _san,_ " he called his attention and the older male hummed to show that he was listening, his eyes turning to the road when the light turned green. " It might seem kind of personal.. but why did you resign? Is it because of her mother? Were you close with her?"

The older male shook his head, chuckling. " No, no, it's fine to ask. It's actually the opposite.. I grew up with (Y/N)'s father so him and I were like brothers. I only met (Y/N)'s mother back in our college years. She was the most wonderful woman I know.. except my wife, of course.." he trailed off, joking before he continued, " I resigned because I couldn't handle his actions. I'm a pathetic excuse of a friend but that's just because he went overboard. He was too clouded by his rage and frustration, he pushed his own daughter away. (Y/N)'s the sweetest girl and I as her second father, felt heartbroken when her own father did that to her."

" I was actually scared that she'd grow up with those words haunting her.." He looked at Kei through the mirror, seeing his expression darken. " Oh no.. don't tell me..?" Kei nodded gravely and stroked your hair, making you look up at him with clouded (e/c) orbs. You managed to give him a smile through the thoughts that piled up in your mind when realization dawned upon you. You were going to meet your mother. You were finally going to see her.

The corner of Kei's lips rose up slightly, giving you a small fond smile before pushing your head to his chest; continuing to stroke your hair. " Say, tell me.. Are you (Y/N)'s boyfriend?" That took him out of his daze, turning to the front where the voice came from. His smile disappeared instantly and was replaced with a frown as he replied, " I'm not. I'm like her.. older brother." He winced at the last two words. That was the harsh truth and it hurt. You viewed him as your older brother.

" But the way you're acting tells me that you don't see her as your _imouto_. Am I correct?" As much as Kei didn't want to admit it to a man he only met today, he felt himself nodding his head. Luckily for Kei, Sakusa- _san_ didn't get another chance to question him and send imaginary arrows through his heart because they reached their destination.

Sakusa- _san_ parked the car in a space near the entrance and the courtyard, unbuckling his seat belt then turning to Kei and you who now hung his headphones around your neck. " I'll check if we're _safe_ to go first and come back," he told the both of you who only nodded in response. He went out of the car and went in the entrance, leaving the two of you alone. Looking outside the window, at the looming buildings that were once familiar to you. Fear started to rush in your veins. _' Will I see Mama? Do I see Mama? Can I see her? Can I do this? I.. no, I can't.'_

You flinched when a hand found yours and gave it a squeeze. You looked at Kei and squeezed back, taking deep breaths and convincing yourself that you're going to be alright. Kei's with you after all. A few more minutes passed before Sakusa- _san_ came back and told you that it was okay to go. Kei went out first and extended a hand. You smiled and thanked him, about to grab it when he dodged and snickered, shoving it into his pocket. You pouted and glared at him, standing up on your own and stomping off to the entrance where Sakusa- _san_ was waiting and watching the two of you.

Kei only did that to take your mind off whatever was troubling you. He smirked once he caught up to you and patted your head. You puffed your cheeks, about to scold him about messing your hair but he cut you off and held your hand. " Let's go, _chibi_." You nodded eagerly, a smile forming on your face, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. You always felt like that with Kei; that's why you want always want to be close to him. You didn't know when you started feeling that way but you know that you always felt safe with him. It might be perks of growing up and spending your time with him.. _or so you thought._

You shifted your hand in his so you could intertwine your fingers with his, ignoring the questioning raise of his brows when you did. He just shrugged and soon, the three of you were in an elevator. " I may have forced you to go with me, (Y/N) but it's perfectly okay to tell me if you aren't ready to see her," Sakusa- _san_ said, sending an apologetic look to you. You shook your head, dismissing it. " It's fine, Sakusa- _san_! I.. want to see her."

" My dreams often revolved around _that_ fateful day and every time I woke up, I couldn't recall what she looked like. I want to see her, but at the same time.. I don't.. but I'm already here so.." you told him, trailing off and looking down at your feet. You raised your head once you heard a ding sound, signaling that you arrived on the top floor. You gulped nervously, your grip tightening on Kei's hand, causing him to look at you from his peripheral.

The three of you stepped off the platform and Kei pulled you along with him as he followed the older male and observed the surroundings. It was silent and mostly deserted with only one or two nurses and doctors strolling around the halls. They bowed in respect and politely greeted Sakusa- _san_ , knowing exactly who he was and what he was doing here. They didn't even question why he had two teenagers with him. _(R: Oops, spoke too soon—)_

" Sakusa- _san!_ What a surprise, you barely come here.." a middle-aged woman wearing a white coat said, squinting her eyes in suspicion towards you and Kei. " May I ask who these children are?"

Sakusa- _san_ sweated nervously and held his hands together. " Please don't tell him that I'm here! Please, I'll give you a box full of Twinkies!" He told the woman, closing both of his eyes and wishing that he succeeded in his bargain. His shoulders slumped once he saw the woman cross her arms and arch a brow. His attempt failed, now she'd let your father know of his presence, resulting in him possibly meeting you.

" You're a CEO of your own business and you give me only a box? Are you that cheap?" Sakusa- _san_ perked up at her words and grinned, rephrasing what he said prior to her statement, " I'll tell my secretary to send a hundred boxes to your address tomorrow so don't tell him that I'm here with these two." She nodded, waving her hand to dismiss the three of you. " Yeah, yeah. Keep going before I change my mind and tell on you," she said as she passed by, scanning your features longer than Kei's and thinking that you look familiar.

Sakusa- _san_ sighed in relief. " Sorry, she's a nosy woman by nature. Luckily, I convinced her to not be a tattletale."

Now paying more attention to your surroundings, you saw a figure on a spacious hospital bed through the see-through glass. You tried to see their features but you were still far and they were facing upwards so you couldn't see them. Kei saw too but chose to stare at the front, seeing the older male stop in front of double doors that had a finger scanner and a dial pad beside it. Kei looked down at you while the older male input the pass code.

" _Chibi_ ," he called your attention, squeezing your hand to make you look at him. He faced the front again when Sakusa- _san_ told him that the two of you can go first. Kei squeezed your hand again and mumbled something only you can hear while he pulled you along with him as he went inside. His words were simple but it held more meaning than what you asked from him. It calmed your unknowingly racing heart once you finally saw who was laying on the bed.

**_" I'm here."_ **


	18. What Was Once So Warm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rina: Okay, so I'm putting up more warning signs for the later chapters.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER (I'm sorry)

Every step you took made you feel like you were sinking in quicksand. You could hear your heart thundering against your ears alongside the beeps that got louder as you walked closer to the bed. It was as if it was so far out of your reach and that it would take years just to get near it, but it was only your mind playing tricks on you. What anchored you to reality was, the warmth that was surrounding your trembling hand. It reminded you that Kei's here with you holding your hand and that it's alright.

You weren't crying, you can't seem to as you sat down beside the figure on the spacious hospital bed. You reluctantly tugged your hand out of Kei's grasps and clasped it together with your other hand, laying them on top of your lap and looking down at them. You gulped and once you gathered enough courage, you slowly raised your head, wincing at the sight of a thin, pale hand. You trailed your gaze upwards, inch by inch until you were looking at an older woman's peaceful sleeping face.

Kei was standing beside you, too preoccupied on watching your actions closely to look at your mother but when he heard you speak, he finally did. " Mama's beautiful, _ne,_ Kei- _kun?.."_ He agreed with you silently, " _Un."_ You looked so much like your mother at first glance, only that her hair color's a shade darker than yours and the few wrinkles that surrounded her face; she still looked youthful despite of that.

He wondered what expression you were making while you reached your hand out to caress your mother's cheek. You swept your thumb against it, being mindful about the tube that was protruding out of her mouth. " Mama, can you hear me? It's your daughter, (Y/N). I'm finally here, Mama. I came to see you." You retracted your hand because it was trembling; you were afraid to accidentally touch the tube that was helping her breathe.

" I missed you so much, Mama.." you mumbled, searching for her hand and holding it with both of yours. Your hands were clammy so you didn't know how her hand felt until you leaned down and laid your cheek against it. You pulled away and looked at her hand with wide (e/c) eyes, tears glazing them and a hiccup escaping your lips. You bent over and cuddled her hand close to you, letting your cries bounce off the four corners of the room and causing the males' hearts to clench painfully inside their chests. Kei balled up his fists and pursed his lips, trying his hardest to not enclose you in his embrace right now because he knew you needed this moment with your mother.

Nuzzling your damp face against your mother's motionless hand while whimpering, the thought that reigned supreme over others was the one that brought you to more tears.

**_Her hand that was once so warm.. is now so cold.._ **

Your crying took longer than Kei had expected. It's not that you were crying nonstop, sometimes you would pause then go back to crying. At one point, he turned to Sakusa- _san_ to ask if the room was sound-proof and felt relief wash over him when he nodded. " Don't worry, no one usually comes to this floor and I think her father's in a meeting somewhere," the older male assured him before excusing himself to answer a call.

Kei didn't have it in him to keep listening to you crying, but he also didn't have it in him to force you to stop crying by any means necessary, so he decided on just sitting beside you. The sound of a chair's screech managed to bring you out of your thoughts and made you pause to turn to the direction where it came from. Your glassy (e/c) orbs met Kei's hazel ones, watching them blink twice then look elsewhere when an arm rose up from behind you to wrap around your shoulders and pull you close to him. You screw your eyes shut to prevent another flood of tears from his actions and from the warmth that radiated off his hand. He said nothing but the way his thumb rubbed your shoulder soothingly, made your cries decrease into sniffles.

You did your best not to let any tears and snot land on Kei's clothes because you knew that he'd bring it up later and complain about it. Lucky for you, he brought a handkerchief and lent it to you, cringing when you blew your nose into it. " You better wash that before returning it to me."

" _Un_." You nodded and made sure your face was free from tears, letting go of your mother's hand in the process. You smiled secretly at feeling Kei's hand awkwardly patting the top of your head. You raised your head and showed Kei your smile, which caused his heart to skip a beat so he looked away and covered the half of his face with the back of his hand, making you tilt your head in question. You tugged on his shirt and asked, " What's wrong, Kei- _kun?"_

Kei thought of the most irritating stuff to make his blush fade away before turning to face you and replying, " It's nothing, _chibi_." You pouted, not believing him. His breath hitched when you leaned in and tucked your head under his chin, your arms slithering around his waist. This action of yours was normal but he somehow felt shy because your mother's here but despite that, he allowed you to continue and hugged you back; relishing the now silent room without your cries.

He hopes for a chance to talk to your mother in the future and thank her for giving birth to you.. and maybe, ask for her blessings and your hand in marriage if you end up with him someday. Oh, how he longed for the power to see into the future so he would know if you end up with him.. or someone else for that matter so he could also prepare and spare himself from the heartbreak.

A few moments passed by until you pulled away and turned to your mother, telling her all about Hachi and Yuki. " They're taking care of me really well, Mama! They're still so energetic despite being nine years of age. They grew up so big, like me!—"

" What are you talking about? You don't even pass Nishinoya- _san—"_

" Kei- _kun_ , shh!! No one needs to know that!" Kei rolled his eyes, his posture relaxed, seeing you happily talking about events that happened and the people you met and held close to your heart to your mother. You even told her about the family that took you in as their own: about Kei's mom and his brother. " Mama, I want you to meet mom and Aki- _nii_ someday! They're also taking great care of me and this.." you trailed off and pulled Kei's arm, his upper body getting dragged because of that movement. He sent a small glare to the back of your head before bowing his to show respect when you introduced him to your mother.

" Mama, this is Kei- _kun_! Kei- _kun'_ s.. the most—" The double doors slammed open, cutting you off. "(Y/N)!!" You and Kei turned towards where the voice filled with urgency came from, seeing Sakusa- _san_ bent over his knees and panting heavily. You instantly stood up with Kei doing the same to check on him, asking, " What happened, Sakusa _-san?_ "

" The both of you need to leave now, it's getting late to catch a train so I'll drive the both of you back to where you're staying," Sakusa- _san_ told you, throwing a glance towards Kei who was standing behind you. He got the memo and nodded, saying, " We're fine by our own, we'll catch a cab outside the hospital. Thanks though."

Kei turned to you who was silent during their exchange, seeing you looking down at the floor and fiddling with the hem of your shirt. You didn't want to leave yet, you had so much to tell your mother. They say that people in comatose can still hear sounds and that it's best to keep talking to them to see if they'd respond. You turned your head to look at your mother then to Kei, silently pleading him. He shook his head, trying his best to stay firm. The both of you needed to leave now.

You pouted and went back to your mother, gently placing a goodbye kiss on her cheek before leaving through the double doors. Sakusa- _san_ stopped Kei from going to you and pulled him inside with him, the doors swinging close. You needed to input the pass code or scan your fingerprint to enter again. Sakusa- _san_ felt bad for locking you out but he needed to tell Kei something important. " Wait, I need to tell you something that she doesn't need to know. I'll make this fast so you can get back before her father comes. He was actually the one who called me a while ago."

" This week.." he heaved out a sigh then continued, ".. they're thinking of pulling the plug." Kei's eyes widened at the information given to him. You just met your mother today and spent only little time with her. Seeing that Kei's expression darkened, Sakusa- _san_ elaborated more about what he said, " Her mother's brain wasn't showing any signs of response towards standard and deviant sounds for the past few years. They would've pulled the plug years ago if it wasn't for her father denying the process vehemently. He didn't want to let go of his wife because he believed that she'd wake up. But nowadays, he's slowly losing hope that he's considering to end her suffering and let her rest. That was what he told me through the call and that he's on his way to me and my children."

Kei arched a brow in question, repeating his words, " Children? Who, us?" Sakusa- _san_ nodded and said, " You remember the twinkie woman earlier? She might've assumed that the two of you are my children. After all, I have a daughter and a son in your age group. But Kei—" he stopped when Kei flinched at the use of his first name and apologized, " I'm sorry, I should've asked first about how I should address you. How can I..?"

" It's alright and Tsukishima's fine." Kei was about to push the double doors to leave but Sakusa- _san_ made him pause in his tracks again. " Wait, Tsukishima- _kun._ Let's exchange emails so I can inform you about what happens." Kei wordlessly gave him his phone and allowed him to put in his contact number. Meanwhile, you were leaning on the wall beside the door, huffing and mumbling on how you needed to improve your puppy eyes to make Kei say yes to what you wanted—it needed to be a hundred percent effective or like maybe a hundred and twenty percent effective.

You were too absorbed in your thinking, you didn't hear the footsteps coming towards you. " So why are you preventing me from seeing Sakusa, huh, Saki?"

" U-Uh, boss, you see—"

" Did he manage to bribe you with twinkies again?" Saki stayed silent, giving her boss the answer that he needed. He shook his head, he wasn't surprised at all. Last time, he managed to escape him because he did the exact same thing but now he knew better. When Sakusa answered his call, his voice was nervous and he just knew that he needed to wrap up the meeting quick and go back to his hospital. It turns out that his decision was right because his friend is bringing strangers into his wife's room.

Saki halted in her tracks when her boss did, staring at where he was looking at to see you with your head bowed down and your hair covering your face. " Saki, you told me that he had his children with him, right?" he asked, glowering at your figure. " Yeah, he had a teenage boy and a girl with him. The girl looked familiar so—" she was cut off, " I know how his daughter looks like because I met her in a meeting last month. After this, know that I might cut off your pay for allowing strangers on this floor without my permission."

She bowed her head down in shame and silently apologized, " I understand. I won't do it again." She looked up once she heard him walk towards you, also seeing the double doors open and Kei and Sakusa- _san_ were about to go out. Sakusa- _san_ paused to lean on the door, eyes wide in shock at your father's side profile. " N-Naoki! You told me you were still on the way back!" Your father merely gave him and Kei a glance before saying, " I lied because I knew you'd try to escape me. I didn't expect you to bring _unwanted_ visitors though."

Sakusa- _san_ glared at him, he didn't like it one bit at how his friend's personality turned cruder over the years. He was pertaining to **_his_** own daughter and the one who watches out for her in such a tactless manner. " Tsukishima- _kun_ , the both of you should go now, I'd take care of him," he told Kei who nodded and was about to walk towards you when your father's voice boomed, snapping you out from your thoughts and making you tense up in your spot.

" Speak up, who are you." It wasn't a question, it was a demand to tell him who you are. Kei saw you tense up and grabbed your upper arm to pull you towards him but your father sent him a look. " I don't know who you are, young man but I'm not asking you, I'm asking _her_." He turned to you again and scowled, repeating his question in a different way, " What rights do you have to step foot into my wife's room?"

It was just like yesterday—his words, his voice, you remember them so well. His tone was harsh like it was back then, it triggered for that specific memory to resurface and fuse with the current situation. You raised your head in a painstakingly slow fashion; it seemed that time stopped as you looked into your father's stone cold and unforgiving (e/c) orbs. Your father took a moment to register your face, his eyes widening in realization when you opened your mouth and came out a weak voice saying, ".. Papa?"

From that moment onwards, your eyes quickly filled with tears that you didn't know they could still form, bowing your head quickly and croaking out, " I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Your father's features softened when he finally processed who you are, taking note of your resemblance to him and his wife. Kei knew this was bad, he could see your breaths getting labored and what confirmed his suspicion was when your father took a step forward and you let out an ear-piercing screech, causing all of them to wince and Kei to let go of your arm while you backed more into the wall.

" I-I'm sorry* ** _hic_**! It was my* ** _hic_** fault, I'm sorry!" Your knees were trembling so they naturally gave up and you landed on the floor harshly but you didn't care, you even didn't notice that pain from the scrapes that you made on them. Kei instantly landed beside you, shaking your shoulders and calling your name out, " Oi, _chibi!_ (Y/N), oi! Snap out of it."

You couldn't, you saw Kei as a nurse that took you away and gave you to Sakusa- _san_ in your past, screaming and struggling against his hold, " I'M SORRY * ** _hic_**! IT WAS MY FAULT, I'M SORRY! PLEASE LET ME* ** _hic_** STAY—PLEASE!!" You looked at Kei in the eyes, your pupils dilated and unfocused, your chest heaving up and down in a rapid pace. You pushed Kei's hands away from you, falling to your side and clawing at your throat. You felt like choking, you couldn't breathe, your tears kept flowing nonstop, your entire body was trembling; you could only hear your gasps for air and your heart pounding against your chest painfully.

Kei moved to push your hands away from your neck and instantly followed Saki when she told him to pin you down and prevent you from moving too much. He climbed on top of you and sat on your legs, pinning your wrists down on the floor. His heart broke when you let out one final cry before laying limp on the floor. Saki successfully injected you with something to make your brain slow down, regulating your breathing and throwing you into an unconscious state. Witnessing the scene, Saki finally knew why you looked so familiar. You were the little girl who often came with her boss, handing out candies and lollipops to everyone with a bright smile.. and the one who cried so much when your own father pushed you away.

Saki moved aside when Kei stood up and picked you up, cradling you close to him. " Young man, you can place her—" Kei ignored your father's suggestion, turning to Sakusa- _san_ and telling him, " We're going back now so kindly excuse us." Sakusa- _san_ could only nod, trying to see what the blonde was feeling but his glasses were shining and preventing him to know what emotions were swirling in his eyes.

Your father tried once again, " There's a spare bed in—" but he was cut off by Kei swiveling his head towards him, his hazel orbs dull and narrowed into a death stare. " Sir, please stop. I'm doing my best to stay polite right now because you're her father and the owner of this hospital so please, stop." Once Kei was sure that no one would stop him from leaving with you, he repeated his words, " We're heading back so kindly excuse us."

Saki bowed and excused herself, leaving the two men alone so they could talk in private. Sakusa stepped out of the room and allowed the door to slowly creak close; through the gap, if someone paid close attention, they would see that your mother's finger twitched.

The raven haired man stared at your father who sunk to the ground and uncharacteristically hid his face using his hands. " Now you see how much damage you've done to your own daughter, right, Naoki? YOU triggered her attack. YOUR words still haunts her up to this day. I'm an awful friend for saying this but you are indeed the worst father I've known," Sakusa told him, watching as he pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes to push back what he assumed to be tears.

Sakusa needed to understand that it must be hard for your father right now because he had so much on his plate: he was the one doing everything in his power to keep the hospital running, making tabs on his wife as much as he could because she's the only thing to remind him of what was once his home as he lived in the hospital now, hiring someone to keep his house clean monthly, and his own daughter's afraid of him. Sakusa felt bad, he shouldn't have rub salt into the wound. He sighed and frustratingly ran a hand to mess up his curly raven locks, extending a hand towards your father. " Come on, stand up. I thought that you needed a friend to talk to."

...

Inside a cab, Kei was keeping you on his lap, his arm holding your limp self close to him as he sent a quick text to Tadashi.

* * *

**_To: Yamaguchi_ **

**_From: Tsukishima_ **

**_Subject: Are you still awake?_ **

_We're on the way back. (Y/N)'s passed out._

* * *

As soon as his phone made a sound to make it known that his message had been sent, he placed it on silent and kept it in his pocket. Your body felt cold since the time he picked you up from the hospital's linoleum floor; he only got to take off his jacket when he caught a cab. He wrapped it more around your body then wrapped his arms around you, placing his chin on top of your head and pressing his lips on it every few seconds or so until the cab stopped in front of the place where the team was staying at.


	19. SPECIAL CHAPTER: Picnic

Today was a special day. You were out with the whole volleyball team excluding the coaches to have a picnic in the park. All of you were chatting happily while finding a spot under the shade of the trees. A certain brunette perked up at your voice when you passed by him.

He was surrounded by his fangirls either asking him for his number or to take pictures with him and giving him delicacies, but once that he heard your voice, he swiveled his head towards your direction to see you with the Karasuno team. His eyes didn't believe it since it's been so long since he last saw you. It was rude but he was trash as he pushed his way out of the girls crowding around him and ran towards you, calling you out, "(N/N)- _CHAN_?!"

You turned when you heard the familiar nickname that was only used by one person. You saw his curly brown locks and his chocolate brown orbs looking at you with longing and fondness. You gaped your mouth open at his appearance. In a blink of an eye, he was in front of you; leaning down and kissing you. Your eyes widened and your cheeks heated up as you placed your hands on his chest, trying to push him off.

He was persistent, not wanting you to pull away so he wrapped an arm around your waist while his the other was at the back of your head, pushing you in more and deepening the kiss. He easily slid his tongue in your agape mouth and explored it, savoring your sweet vanilla taste.

You formed your hands into fists and weakly punched him on the chest, aware of the stares and feeling your knees trembling already. He knew what was happening so he pulled away with a string of saliva connecting you two; once he did, he licked his lips and loosened his grip around you. That was the last straw before you fell onto your knees, staring up at him, panting and catching your breath. You tried to glare at him to remove the redness on your cheek, but it didn't work out well in your favor.

You panted and you stared up at him with your teary (e/c) eyes."W-Wha.. T-Tooru- _s-senpai_.." 

He tensed before his eyes turned into hearts as he exclaimed, "Uwah~! (N/N)- _chan_ 's so cute~!" He was about to pounce on you but the boys on the Karasuno team and Shimizu surrounded you. Noya, Kageyama, Tanaka, and Hinata circled around your fragile figure, glaring at Oikawa. Noya and Tanaka were in their 'protect their _kouhai_ ' mode, wearing the most intimidating faces you've ever seen while Kageyama and Hinata tried their best to imitate the second-years. Oikawa scowled at them because they stopped him from hugging you.

"Are you okay, (Y/N)- _chan_?" Suga, Tadashi, and Shimizu simultaneously asked you while helping you stand up. You nodded as a response, still red-faced and catching your breath. You stood up on your own and shakily walked out of your ' _shields_ ' and went in front of Oikawa, looking up at him and glaring playfully.

"Tooru- _senpai_! You do know that your kisses makes me feel weak, right?" You scolded him. The team and his fangirls were shocked at how casual you sounded.

He just winked and stuck his tongue out while doing a victory sign before apologizing, " _Gomen_ , (N/N)- _chan_ ~ You're just too cute and I missed tasting you~" He smirked and cupped your cheek, about to lean in and kiss you again when he got kicked to the ground. The culprit instantly went to check up on you.

"(Y/N)- _chan,_ are you okay? What did he do to you?" Your cousin, Iwaizumi asked you worriedly. You shook your head and smiled before hugging him, telling him,"Haji- _nii_! I missed you!" He hugged you back and ruffled your hair.

Oikawa was back and was pouting. "Iwa-chan~! You're so mean to me! I just kissed (N/N)- _chan_ ~" He was clutching his side that your cousin kicked. Your cousin pulled away from you and started stomping towards Oikawa, cracking his knuckles and emitting a dark aura.

"HUH?! How dare you lay your dirty hands on her, _Kusokawa_!" Your cousin was about to beat Oikawa to a pulp but the latter covered his face and begged, " IWA- _CHAN_ , NO!! NOT MY PRETTY FACE!"

You giggled at the sight, making them turn to you and you took that as a cue to intervene in their fight, "It's okay, Haji- _nii_.." you trailed off, gazing at Oikawa with a pout as you said, "Tooru- _senpai_ , I told you to greet me normally whenever we'll meet!" You helped Oikawa stand up and hugged him after, burying your face your face in his chest.

"Don't worry, I missed you too, Tooru- _senpai_ ," You mumbled in his shirt, feeling his arms wrap around you tightly as he whispered into your ear, "I missed you too, (N/N)." Unbeknownst to you guys, the fangirls were chatting about how beautiful you are and how you're the perfect fit to their Oikawa- _sama._

Diversely, the team bore holes through Kei. Tadashi was the only brave one to confront him. "Are you okay, Tsukki?" Tadashi asked in concern for his friend's feelings for you.

The others were secretly waiting for him to erupt and get you out of Oikawa's grip. But they were shocked and frankly, quite disappointed at what they heard.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" He responded. Why would he be affected? The two of you weren't dating so he had no rights to keep you to himself and act upon his instincts. Noya and Tanaka were suddenly all over him,"(Y/N)- _chan_ was just kissed by _'that'_!" Tanaka waved his hands around, pointing to you and Oikawa hugging.

Noya gripped his hair in frustration, adding, "Yeah! I thought you love our _kouhai_!" Kei diverted his gaze to you and at Seijoh's setter. Of course it stung when he kissed you.. after all, he loves you.

"I do," He nonchalantly admitted, gaining their attention. Suga decided to ask him, pointing out, " Why.. are you so calm, Tsukishima? She got her first kiss from him." Kei just raised a brow before deadpanning, "That's not her first kiss."

The statement made them pause then they were all screaming in unison, " EEHHH?!!!!" Tadashi was suspicious of him because he's calm that Oikawa kissed you and got your first kiss from him, but he could tell that he was honest about telling them that _that_ wasn't your first kiss.

"W-What do you mean Tsukki?" Tadashi questioned him. The second-year duo and the freak duo were listening attentively and stood in front of Kei, pressuring him to spill. He sighed and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

He stood there with a blank expression, proudly proclaiming, "I took her first kiss.". His upperclassmen gripped his shirt's collar, shaking him as they yelled, "HUHH?! Explain properly, you bastard!" Kei let out a menacing glare, making them let go of him and back away while gulping.

Kei scoffed because he didn't want to tell them but it was too late, the memory was replaying in his mind. Everyone gasped at the sight: Kei's ochre orbs were soft and in a daze and a blush decorated his cheeks and the tip of his ears. He knew what expression he was making so he covered his mouth with the back of his hand, adverting his gaze to the ground as he told them, "Well, I couldn't help it. She was the one clinging onto me that time.."

They knew that he was about to spill a very valuable piece of information _(Every piece of information about you is very valuable to them. They love you thaaattt much)_ so they zipped their mouths shut and willed themselves to not tease him.

* * *

_It was the winter break and the last year before the both of you will be attending your first year of high school. You were sleeping over because Kei was all alone in his house. His mother and his brother went somewhere and left him to take care of the household and his little sister (you). Of course, you brought Hachi and Yuki along but they were in the living room because it was currently the warmest haven in the Tsukishima household._

_Meanwhile, you were in Kei's room studying. It was the usual for the two of you, studying together and teaching each other at their weak-points. Yours were Math, his were Organic Chemistry. It was actually quite ironic because Organic Chemistry was your second favorite, the first being Biology while his favorite was Math. After an hour and a half, you suddenly wanted water and something sweet so you excused yourself and went down._

_You went through the living room and saw Hachi and Yuki cuddling. You paused for a moment, mentally debating on cuddling with them or get something sweet. Of course, to no one's surprise, you chose food and went to the kitchen. You crouched down and opened the fridge, your eyes instantly stuck on a box of chocolates . You grabbed it, closed the fridge before getting a piece and savoring the sweetness; not minding the slightly off-taste_

_..._

_You were talking too long from getting a glass of water and a snack so Kei decided to go get you himself. He saw you in the dining room, your back turned against him._

_He clicked his tongue before scolding you, "Chibi, where the hell were you? You still have a last set of problems to answer." He was boring holes into the back of your head, but after a while of observing, your posture seemed.. different; you were swaying side to side. Once you turned to face him, his eyes widened a fraction at your flushed face._

_He immediately ran to you to check your temperature, but once he saw what you were holding, he paused. He forgot to tell you not to eat the chocolates in the fridge because it contained liquor. If his mother finds out, he's dead._

_"Kei-kun? Hic.. I ate the choco—hic.. in the fridge," You slurred while looking up at him with glazed (e/c) eyes. You turned to the pieces of chocolates left and plopped them in your mouth before Kei can stop you._

_"They're—hic.. delicious!" You exclaimed as you hiccupped, spinning around, only to stumble and be caught in his arms. You looked up and scanned the surroundings to find the blonde, only finding a strawberry in front of you._

_"Kei-kun? Hic.. where are—hic.. you?" You asked, struggling in his grip. He sighed and pushed his glasses up with his middle finger before picking you up in his arms and going upstairs to his room._

_You reached for the sky, exclaiming, "Woah! Hic.. I'm—hic.. flying!" He opened the door to his room and pushed it closed with his foot. He laid you down on his bed and was about to stand up to get you water and heat up some soup but was halted when you wrapped your arms around his neck, your face inches from his._

_If it wasn't anymore obvious that you were drunk, you told him, "Mr. Straw—hic.. berry? I want to—hic.. taste you." Before he could speak, your lips crashed with his. His ochre orbs were wide in shock and he could feel his blush starting to rush up from his neck. He closed his eyes and thought rationally; he was about to push you off but you licked his bottom lip. Forgive the poor boy, his hormones are raging._

_He broke and gave in to his urges. He unwrapped your arms from his neck and pinned it above your head, turning the tables around and licking your bottom lip, making you gasp and part your rosy lips. He slithered his tongue in and fought with yours before winning and being the dominant one. He explored every crevasse of your mouth, tasting the chocolate and alcohol that you ate. He continued kiss you until you suddenly let out a noise that made him come to his senses. You moaned at the feel of his tongue caressing yours while he opened his eyes and stared at your closed ones._

_Taking in your condition, he abruptly pulled away and wiped his lips from the saliva connecting your lips, cursing mentally when he felt blood rush down **there** from the sight of you under him on his bed. In a flash, he was gone to the bathroom. Once he got back from doing his business, he sighed in relief when you were asleep on the bed._

_'Note to self: Never ever let (Y/N) get near beverages or food containing alcohol' he chided to himself as he bent above you to place a kiss on your forehead._

* * *

"SHE WAS DRUNK?! AND YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER?!" Tanaka and Noya were enraged so they pulled at the collar of his shirt. Kei was unaffected by it because a blush was still present on his cheeks.

"I can't really help it. She was just too irresistible.." He mumbled as he turned around and wore his headphones. The team sweat dropped before they laid four big blankets on the grass a few feet away from you and arranged the food they brought on it.

"Oh, I'm sorry for not telling all of you. Haji- _nii_ is my cousin from my father's side. I go to his house for vacation for two months since childhood." You explained as you sat beside your cousin and Kei. They nodded and Hinata asked you a question, "What's your relationship with the Great King? He kissed you earlier.." He trailed off with a blush, causing you to stutter and be flustered. Oikawa was winking at you before your cousin pushed his face away since he was sitting beside him.

You explained to them with a sheepish smile, "Uh.. Tooru- _senpai_ and I... dated for two months when I was in the last year of middle school and we broke up before I went home, but I've known him since childhood."

Kageyama was determined to know why you chose him so he questioned you, "Why did you date him?" You bit your lip and looked down at your lap, fiddling with your fingers as you responded nervously, "W-Well.. I was feeling bad because no one liked me. They all ran away when they saw me.." Kei was smirking beside you when he remembered all of the boys he scared away from you, but Oikawa managed to slip pass and confess to you because he wasn't there.

"A-And besides, we're best friends so I gave him a chance," you added, causing them to nod grimly while Oikawa was looking down at them with a cocky smirk. Your cousin elbowed him, causing him to grunt in pain and clutch the affected area.

"Umm, (Y/N)- _chan_.. About the boys that ran away from you.. Was Tsukishima always with you during those times?" Suga was curious because it was impossible to not have anyone confess to you. If it weren't for you being so precious, he would've confessed to you. You tilted your head, confused at the question but nevertheless, still nodded.

_'I knew it. He scared them away,'_ The team thought when their suspicions were confirmed by Kei smirking smugly and stating, "They're just scaredy cats, _chibi_." At that, you turned to him and poked his nose. "No! I think I was just too pretty for them to handle," You declared and smiled cutely, causing their cheeks to heat up; Shimizu was no exception.

You were ignorant to their reactions and announced happily, "Let's eat~!" They snapped out of their daze and cheered, " _Osu_!"

**. . .**

"(N/N)- _chan_! Say ' _ah_ '~" Oikawa cooed and reached out his arm to feed you. You were about to bite it off his chopsticks when your cousin slapped his arm away.

Oikawa pouted. "Iwa- _chann_ ~ I just wanna feed (N/N)- _chan_!" He whined before eating and grumbling about your cousin for being mean. You pouted too, a bit upset because you didn't get to eat what he offered. You love food and love it more when someone gives it to you.

You frowned before your (e/c) eyes widened at the chopsticks with a piece of meat in its grasp appeared in front of your face. You followed the arm and was led to Kei. He stared down at you before beginning his taunt, " Hesitating to show your _'pig_ ' side now, _chibi_? Oh, well.. I guess I'm going eat this last piece of meat and savor it?" He smirked at you. The others stopped eating and watched the two of you.

You just stared at his chopsticks before turning to him again when he spoke in a flat tone, "Come on. Do you still want me to say ' Here's the airplane, say _ahh'_ ?" You giggled and said ' _ah_ ', opening your mouth and biting on the food he offered, smiling in delight at the meat's smoky flavor. Kei heated up at your expression, his glasses fogging up. Oikawa was fuming beside your cousin in jealousy, but he prevented him from standing up and creating a scene.

Tadashi _winced_ before deciding to tease his friend, "Tsukki, you okay?" He received a glare that wasn't very intimidating because of his blush.

"Tch. Shut up, Yamaguchi."

Tadashi just apologized with a knowing smile and a solemn expression. The others were still a bit overwhelmed at what happened but they snapped out of it when they saw you munching on your food happily.

**. . .**

"I brought strawberry wine~! I mean, a fan gave it to me, ehe." Oikawa winked with his tongue sticking out as he held up a victory sign. You perked up when you heard strawberry and looked towards him.

"Don't worry, the percentage of the alcohol's only three percent~" Oikawa told them and gave a cup to you first, filling it with the wine. You closed your eyes and inhaled the scent of it. You thanked Oikawa before sipping on it for a bit before pausing and gulping all of it down. You placed your cup down and hiccupped, turning to all of their stares.

" _Kusokawa_! You said it's only three percent!" Your cousin held Oikawa up by the collar of his shirt, the latter telling him he wasn't lying. Everyone was distracted so they didn't see that the wine was in your reach. You grabbed it and drank straight from the bottle, gulping it all down before dropping it and letting it roll on the ground towards your cousin. Your cousin let go of Oikawa once the botlle hit his feet and picked it up, seeing the real percentage of the alcohol. It was '13%'

Everyone was frozen when you slurred on your words, "Hic! Strawberry—hic.. tastes—hic.. sosgguod" Your eyesight was blurry and you thought you were hallucinating because you saw a strawberry by your side. You turned to him and widened your half-lidded eyes, gasping.

"Mr. Strawberry!!" You shouted, about to pounce on Kei when he abruptly stood up and sat on the other side where your seniors were. You couldn't see and think clearly so you thought he just hid in his strawberry bush.

You tilted your head, asking him with hiccups in between your words, "W-Why—hic.. are—hic.. you there. The team knew the story when you get drunk: you will always see Kei as a strawberry tasted him; it was mostly just kissing him. Your cousin got up off Oikawa and headed towards you.

"(Y/N)- _chan_? Let's get you home." He calmly tried to reach you, but you flinched away.

"P-Porcupine—hic!"

You quickly stood up and scanned your surroundings for escape but you felt arms wrap around you. Oikawa was hugging you from behind, thinking you'll calm down, but instead, you screamed and pushed his arms off.

"A-Aliens—hic- invaded.. therethjd"

You ran and soon, your eyes spotted your target. "Mr. Straw-hic-berry!" Kei tensed up when he saw you trying to make your way towards him. Trying as in, you falling at everyone and pushing them off.

"Eek! Hic- fire, too-hic- hot!"

"Eek! D-Dev-hic-il!"

""Eek! T-Titan!"

"M-Monk!" You teared up when you kept falling onto terrifying things. You just sat on the big empty space between Tanaka and Suga, trembling in sadness because you can't reach the strawberry. Daichi patted Kei on the back to go to you, knowing that he's the only one who can hopefully calm you down.

Kei sighed and stood up, making his way to sit indian-style in front of you as you bawled your eyes out. You heard the grass in front of you, like someone was on it so you peeked from the hands covering your face.

The change was instantaneous. You stopped crying and everyone sighed in relief.. That was until they saw what you were doing: you were onto Kei's lap, wrapping your legs around his waist.

"Mr. Strawndojdry.." You slurred before hugging him and passing out in his chest. Everyone sighed in relief because nothing happened.. It also seemed that they jinxed it.

"At least she didn't try to taste him like last time," Noya said and Tanaka nodded at him. Kei was relieved too because you were in public and the others were here so you being your drunk self wasn't the best, but at least you were asleep and not attacking him. JINXED.

That was until you opened your (e/c) orbs and uttered your drunk catch phrase, slithering your arms around his neck quickly, purring "I—hic- wanna taste—hic- you~" You leaned into him and placed your lips on his before he could react. You bit his bottom lip then slid your tongue into his mouth. It allowed him to him taste the strawberry wine that you just drank. He tensed when you pulled away and started kissing down his neck, nipping and sucking along the way.

Everyone was mostly blushing at the sight. Your cousin turned blue and shook the pale Oikawa, convincing him to help him pull you off the blonde. He nodded and agreed. They pulled you off of Kei by your arms.

You felt yourself being pulled away so you opened your (e/c) eyes, tearing up when you were quite _'far'_ away from Mr. Strawberry.

"N-No! Mr. Straw-hic-berry! L-let-hic- go of me, alien!" You sobbed as Oikawa lifted you into his arms while your cousin was calling a cab. You reached your arm out before shouting and startling the others, "Kei- _kun_ , don't leave me!" You cried into your hands that was covering your face.

Your cousin already called a cab and it was almost near so when he turned to stare at you still crying in Oikawa's arms, he was dumbfounded.

"Iwa- _chan_ , what do I do? She's not stopping," Oikawa told him as he tried to calm you down, but was just making it worse. Your cousin was panicking mentally because if Oikawa can't calm you down then neither could he.

When Kei heard your plea, he paused for a while because a fragment of his memory played in his mind. He snapped out of it and stood up to make his way to you. The others were still watching and surprised when you didn't slur on your words, but their hearts ached when they heard you crying.

Kei was now in front of Oikawa with your cousin keeping an eye on him. He struggled with his words until he chose what came to his mind first. "Give her to me," He demanded with a blank expression.

Oikawa glared at him before sticking his tongue out, saying," Are you stupid? She's min-ow! Iwa- _chan_?!" He looked at you cousin when he hit his head. Iwaizumi stared at you crying in Oikawa's arms, instinctively knowing how to calm you down; that was to give you to the blonde.

"Give her to him, _Kusokawa_ ," Iwaizumi commanded but Oikawa protested, holding you to him closer. He turned to you in his arms when you sobbed out a sentence," Kei- _kun_ , don't leave me.." He winced and clicked his tongue before reluctantly giving you to Tsukishima.

You felt familiar arms around you so looked up from your hands, seeing Kei's face and feeling relieved as you said, "Where were you? I was lonely.." You hiccupped with tears falling down your face. His heart broke because you said that the last time he caught you hurting yourself. He sighed wistfully at the memory, looking down at you to have you settle down.

"I'm here now.. Stop crying, (Y/N)," He told you with a warm smile. You wiped your tears away and smiled at him, mumbling a sentence, "I love you, Kei- _kun_.." Afterwards, your head fell onto his chest as you passed out in his arms. Oikawa was cursing silently because you instantly calmed down when you were in Kei's arms.

The cab came and your cousin told him your address before turning to the blonde, "Take her home, _megane_." Kei just nodded and entered the cab, sitting you down first before going in and sitting beside you. Once the cab faded away into the distance, Iwaizumi decided to thank the Karasuno team for inviting them to eat with them, "Thank you for inviting us, but we need to go. Trashykawa's going to have a tantrum soon."

Oikawa gasped. "Iwa- _chan_ , you're so mean~ _Ita_!" Oikawa whined as Iwaizumi dragged him away. There was silence until Daichi broke it by saying, "This day sure was eventful." He sweat dropped. Suga decided to change the atmosphere and cheered, "Let's go and clean up!"

"Kageyama, let's do a race. Whoever cleans up the most is the fastest." Hinata smirked before running and cleaning up.

"You're on, dumbass!" Kageyama followed him and they started their race. Noya and Tanaka looked at each other before screaming in determination," _Yosha_! Count us in!" Then they started to clean up really fast.

"Well.. Looks like they can do it on their own." Suga sweat dropped.

Kei already laid you on your bed with Hachi and Yuki by his side, watching you. He was thinking about what you mumbled to him before you passed out.

_'I love you, Kei-kun..'_

He didn't want to assume. It might just be in a friendly way, but he decided to say it back to you, " I love you too, (Y/N).." He kissed your forehead before laying down beside you on his side, staring at your companions.

" What?" He narrowed his eyes at them. They barked and meowed at him. He sighed before standing up.

" My mom didn't feed you guys? Or you're both just a glutton like your owner?" He asked them. They just went out of your room and headed downstairs. He followed them and went into the kitchen, feeding them. While they were eating, he went up to your room again.

He took off his glasses and placed it on your bedside table before he laid down beside you once more. He closed his eyes but opened it when he felt you shift and tuck your head under his chin. The corner of his lips twitched into a small smile, his arms ending up around you. The both of you were sleeping contentedly within each other's warmth.

_Some things just never change._


	20. Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rina: Based from the title!~^^ That’s why this is probably a boring chapter.
> 
> I’ll call Kei’s mom Hinako now.
> 
> \+ Info: The Kanji character for Kei’s name is the same with Hotaru.

* * *

****_To: Yamaguchi_ ** **

****_From: Tsukishima_ ** **

****_Subject: Are you still awake?_ ** **

_We’re on the way back. (Y/N)’s passed out._

* * *

“ Oh, no. This is bad.” Tadashi started pacing around the room, his olive eyes wide and restless, alerting the others that stayed awake because they waited for your and Kei’s arrival. The other Nekoma members went back home (due to Kuroo forcing them) while Kuroo and Kenma stayed because they weren’t feeling comfortable with the fact that you went to the hospital that your father owns. It sent their stomachs churning; Kenma even kept his POP and settled on playing with his fingers instead, staring at the clock and the door alternatively.

Suga stood up from his seat and went to Tadashi, placing a hand on his shoulder, his thumb rubbing it to calm him down. “ Calm down, Yamaguchi. Tsukishima’s with her,” Suga told him, earning a furious shake of his head. Tadashi opened his phone and showed him the text that Kei sent. Suga read it, his brows furrowing and his head tilting in confusion. Kuroo, Daichi, and Shimizu stood up too, reading the text over Suga’s shoulder. “ They’re heading back, that’s good to know. (Y/N)- _chan_ must’ve been tired from all our walking, she fell asleep in the cab.. Why are you getting restless then, Yamaguchi?” Suga asked.

“ Something bad happened. In all of our texts concerning (Y/N)- _chan_ , Tsukki never uses her name. He always uses _‘chibi’ or ‘chibi-chan’._ ” Thinking more about what Tadashi said, panic and worry started to rush in their veins. He was right, in all of their interactions, they never heard Kei uttering your name, at least, not around them. “ L-Let’s not think the worst, okay? (Y/N)- _chan_ ’s alright.” Suga tried to console everyone but the words felt bitter when they left his mouth; he felt that he was lying to himself. Tadashi nodded and sat down beside the freak duo, clasping his hands together, trying to stay calm. Everyone was doing the same, silence surrounding the whole room. Because of that, they clearly heard tires screeching and doors opening then closing.

As soon as the door to their room opened, they stood up to their feet, causing Kei’s tired ochre eyes to widen a bit, startled at the sight of his teammates still up and the presence of your cousin and Kuroo. Tadashi’s gaze was the first to fall on your limp figure in Kei’s arms. He instantly bounded over to the blonde and scanned your pale and placid features. “ Tsukki! What happened?! Why does she look pale?!” Others started to crowd around you, making Kei click his tongue and instinctively hold you closer against him. He groaned. “ Can I place her down first? My feet are tired.”

Reluctantly, they made way for him to go to his bed and lay you down. He turned to face his captain after tucking you in. “ Sawamura- _san_ , I forgot to tell you and the coaches.. but as much as possible, (Y/N) needs to sleep with me.” There was only seriousness in his tone, Daichi couldn’t help but nod. Kei explained more, “ It slipped my mind to tell you about it because of training, but she always have nightmares when I don’t sleep beside her. Back home if I couldn’t, her dog and her cat would be the ones to help her.” He sat down beside you, pinching the bridge of his nose. His eyelids felt heavy, he just wanted to sleep right now, but he knew he owed them an explanation.

He took off his glasses and placed it on top of his futon, running a hand over his face in frustration, and partly to wake himself up. He glanced at them and cleared his throat. “ Aren’t you guys tired of standing?” They looked at each other before sitting down on their respective futons while your cousin and Kuroo sat on your other side. Tadashi sat down beside Kei, looking down at you worriedly. “ What happened, Tsukki? Is she alright?” Kei sighed at his friend’s question, wanting to finish everything and go to sleep. He never felt so tired because hell, this day was so eventful.

“ We were about to go home when her father came. He triggered her panic attack and..” he winced, remembering what happened. He tucked away the stray (h/c) strands from your face then slid his fingertips down, pulling at his jacket that covered your neck. “.. I had to pin her down to keep her from clawing at her neck, and so she could be injected with sedatives to slow her brain activities down, to regulate her breathing..” Seeing the dried blood in the shape of lines on your neck, Kei asked someone to hand him the first-aid kit. He cleaned your wounds quietly, waiting for someone to ask him a question.

“ Another thing..” he called their attention, putting the first-aid kit away then continued, “ (Y/N) most probably won’t remember that she met her father so don’t remind her. Just tell her that she fell asleep while talking to her mother. If anyone has a question, they can’t be asked now. I’m tired, I’m turning in.” He yawned behind his hand and like it was a chain reaction, most of them yawned too and wordlessly nodded. They didn’t have the energy to ask more. You’re already here so they don’t have anything to worry about; they could finally sleep.

Kei didn’t crawl into the space beside you until everyone laid in their futons and snored away. Feeling your body still at a low temperature, he cuddled you closer, radiating his body heat, and kissing your forehead, not aware of the watchful pair of eyes. He released a final exhale at the top of your head before succumbing to fatigue and slipping into darkness.

Morning came and you woke up, groaning softly at the sunlight shining on your closed eyelids. Despite the feeling of something wrapped around your middle, you turned to the side, nuzzling your face into the warm surface. You peeked open one eye, then both, looking up to see Kei’s sleeping face. You were now fully awake, questions starting to fill your mind, but they all disappeared as soon as Kei’s ochre orbs opened, blinking to get used to the light before meeting yours. Your hand rose up, cupping his face, not minding the way he subconsciously leaned into your touch.

“ You’re so pretty, Kei- _kun..”_ you muttered in awe, taking in the beautiful image you barely get to see up close, looking so soft and calm without the crease between his brows or the blank expression that he always wore. He hummed, still half-asleep, his gaze falling to your lips as you spoke. You were too mesmerized with his eyes, you failed to notice him closing the gap between you, his nose slightly nudging yours as his lips caught your own. “ Morning, (Y/N),” he mumbled, his voice husky against your lips. It took a few seconds before you registered what happened, your face erupting into a deep red hue.

“ K-K.. Kei- _kun?!”_ You sputtered his name, eyes wide as saucers. His eyes mimicked yours, instantly pulling away at the proximity he was in and turning his back towards you. You brought your fingers up to your lips, face heating up, recalling the feeling of his soft lips. Kei did his best to calm his pounding heart down, all the while mentally scolding himself and asking why the fuck did he do that. He was thinking of ways to avert your attention away from what happened. “ I’m not wearing my glasses, I thought it was your forehead. Just—just forget it,” he told you, hoping that you’d be dumb enough to accept his words.

And you are dumb enough, nodding even though he couldn’t see you. “ Oh, okay..” You brought your hand down to your chest, clutching it, feeling your heart racing. You didn’t know why it was like that: why you’re disappointed that he didn’t kiss you on purpose, why you wanted to feel his lips on yours again, and why you were thinking of him like this. You stared at his broad back, wanting to snake your arms around his torso but decided against it, because you’re afraid that he might feel your heart beating wildly against your rib cage.

Silence hung in the air until the both of you calmed down and sat up. Kei sighed in relief, noticing that it was only the two of you in the room. He stood up and extended his hand, waiting for yours to grab his so he could also pull you up. Before you could, the door creaked open and Shimizu’s head came poking out. “ Oh, you’ re both awake. The team’s about to come back from a jog so why don’t you guys freshen up? Come here, (Y/N)- _chan_ , I’ll help you take a bath.” She gestured for you to go to her. You nodded and stood up on your own, getting your change of clothes and passing by Kei. Once the door closed, Kei dropped his hand and shrugged, deciding to do the same as you and take a bath.

****_. . ._ ** **

The team came back, directly heading towards the dining hall to eat. Seeing you awake and talking animatedly with Shimizu and Kei whilst his expression was indifferent, the four troublemakers sprinted towards you, instantly showering you with compliments. Everyone found their seats and sat down, watching you entertaining the four until Shimizu served the food and you decided to help. When everyone had a plate in front of them, they waited until you sat down beside your childhood friends, and you glanced at them, tilting your head with a smile. “ What’s wrong, _min’na_?”

You heard a rustle somewhere beside you so you turned your head and casted a questioning look towards Tadashi. “ Tada- _kun_? What’s that?” you asked, blinking owlishly as he handed it to you. He smiled, saying, “ Open it, we bought it for you.” You dug your hand in the bag, gasping and inspecting the contents, seeing the various art materials. You were speechless but after a while, you stuttered out a, “ T-Thank y-you. But you guys didn’t have to—”

“ Of course we had to, (Y/N)- _chan_! You’ve been like our second manager and our own cheerleader—You did so much for us.. it’s time we repay you for your kindness,” Hinata told you, standing up to his feet suddenly. You giggled when Kageyama hit the back of his head and told him, “ You’re too loud. Sit down, _boke_.”

“ Thank you so much, _min’na!”_ You beamed at everyone, causing all of them to stop and take the image in. Your smile was so bright, they forgot to breathe, mentally asking how cruel the gods were for letting you experience something so traumatic in your childhood. To Kei, if you didn’t stop being so goddamn beautiful with that precious fucking smile, he would be vomiting his heart out, so to prevent it, he looked away and clicked his tongue. “ Can we just eat so we could go home? And _chibi_ , stop that. You look weird.” You turned to Kei, pouting. “ Hmp, meanie.”

Before anyone could complain and threaten him, Suga announced, “ Okay, you heard him! Let’s start eating so we could pack up and head home!”

****** **

****** **

****** **

****_. . ._ ** **

“ I’ll call you and Kuroo- _nii_ , okay? I’ll miss you both.” You hugged your cousin and Kuroo who chuckled and messed up your hair. You glared at him, pulling away from the hug and about to complain when he said, “ Don’t worry,kitten~ You’ll see us soon. You see, there’s going to be another training camp.” Your eyes sparkled as you asked, “ Are Bo- _senpai_ and Aka- _senpai_ there?!”

Kuroo nodded and slung an arm over Kenma’s shoulders, causing him to grimace at the weight of it. “ Kuroo, your arm is heavy, get it off,” he grumbled, trying to squirm away from the bedhead who only smirked at his fruitless attempts. “ Oh, come on, Kenma~ You like my arm wrapped around you~”

“ Do not.”

“ Do too.”

“ Do not.”

“ Why don’t you just confess to each other?” You blinked in confusion, tilting your head at them with your hands tucked behind you innocently. Ironically as it may seem, you always see through them, the way they look at each other, the lingering gazes, and the need of physical contact, you knew they liked each other, but as observant as you are to other people, to your own feelings and to those who like you, you’re dense as a rock. You observed both of their faces turn red before they looked away from each other, causing you to giggle and pull the both of them into another hug before you running towards the bus where the team was already sitting in their seats. You waved at your cousin and Kuroo, smiling back and watching as they walked away then turned to the coaches and bowed, apologizing, “ I’m sorry for taking too long.”

“ No worries, (Y/N)- _san_! We’re not rushing.” Takeda- _sensei_ dismissed it and told you to find your seat. You nodded and sprinted towards where your childhood friends would usually sit at, stopping in your tracks and flushing when your eyes met Kei’s. Your gaze lowered to his lips and luckily, you were quick to avert them to Tadashi’s questioning look. “ I-I’ll s-sit with Kiyo- _senpai_ this t-time.” You turned and shyly sat down with Shimizu at the front, hiding into her arm when she chuckled and had Tanaka and Noya fawning over the both of you. Daichi had to tell them to shut up and sit still because the bus started moving.

Tadashi turned to Kei. “ Did something happen, Tsukki?” he asked the blonde, earning a click of his tongue. Kei knew he was still expectantly looking at him, waiting for his answer so he sighed sharply out of his nostrils, leaning on his palm and looking out of the window. “ I kissed her this morning.”

“ E-Eh.. then?”

“ I told her that I thought it was her forehead. Such a lame excuse, but she believed me. I told her to forget it. Can we also forget we talked about this?” Tadashi nodded silently, hearing the desperation laced in Kei’s words. “ If you say so, Tsukki.” Kei was thankful for hearing those words because he’s not in the mood to be teased, all he wanted was to forget the way your fingers clutched at his shirt when he pulled away, as if asking him not to stop, to kiss you again. He didn’t want to raise his hopes up, he might just be imagining that through his sleepy haze.

A few hours passed until the bus reached the school, stopping by the gym. Everyone went out and bowed to thank the coaches before dispersing into small groups. Kei and Tadashi naturally gravitated to your side, Kei instantly grabbing your bag and carrying it with his on his shoulder. You were still shy about the incident that happened in the morning, you couldn’t complain like usual, which did arouse the blonde’s curiosity, but you were holding his hand so he let it go. You talked with Tadashi until he reached his street, waving goodbye to the both of you, telling you to be careful on your way home.

“ Kei- _kun_.. _”_ Kei hummed and squeezed your hand, showing that he was listening. It was a usual gesture for the both of you, but you can’t help but blush. You looked down to avoid letting him see it, asking, “ Can I stay over? Hachi and Yuki’s there too, right?” He glanced at you from his peripheral and released an inaudible sigh, figuring that it’ll take time for you to forget about the kiss. “ Did you hit your head or something, _chibi_? Why are you asking? You basically live there.”

“ I didn’t! It’s just—just..”

He clicked his tongue, “ Tsk. Stop that. I told you to forget about that kiss, it meant nothing.” He lied, he meant to kiss you, thinking that it was a dream. You gave his hand a squeeze, stopping in your steps, causing him to stop too and face you, arching a brow in question. “ Wha..” His breath hitched at the look that you gave him. “ You didn’t mean it? You.. don’t want to do it again?” Your cheeks were red as you asked and your (e/c) orbs looked hopeful, but then again, Kei shrugged it off as his hallucination and gulped nervously before answering, “ Are you dumb? Of course, I..” he paused, clearing his throat to make sure that he doesn’t slip up. “.. don’t. We’re practically siblings, and besides, you’re not my type.”

Hearing his words, you felt confused at the pang in your heart but you ignored it, engaging Kei in another topic so he could forget what you asked. You didn’t even know why you asked that. What answer were you hoping for? Why were you expecting him to tell you that he was lying? What was his type? Did he like someone already? And why did it sting to think that he already likes someone?

“ We’re home!!” The both of you said once you stepped foot in the Tsukishima household. Hinako immediately came running from the kitchen, taking you in her arms and stroking your (h/c) locks. “ (Y/N)- _chan_ , I missed you! How are you? Are you hungry? Are you tired? Do you want me to prepare a bath for you? Make your favorite dessert?” You giggled and hugged her, telling her that you missed her too.

“ I think you’re exaggerating, mom. We weren’t even gone for a week,” Kei said while taking his shoes off and gently pulling at your ankle for you to do the same. Hinako giggled and opened her arms for him, saying, “ Oh, shush! Don’t be jealous, Kei! Come here, you!” Kei grumbled something under his breath before stepping closer to his mother, letting her hug him. Meanwhile, you were gone to the yard where you called out for your companions. “ Hachi? Yuki?” A bark and a meow were heard after a few seconds and you see them.

You petted their fur and laid a kiss on their foreheads. “ I missed you too! Let’s go inside, yeah? I want to lay in bed.” They followed you as you went inside and climbed up the stairs, opening the door to Kei’s room. You plopped down in his sheets and curled up into a ball, watching your companions do the same, curling up against you. Their soft fur, in addition to Kei’s fluffy duvet covers and his lingering scent made you sleepy. You tried to fight it off but couldn’t, so you uttered a small ‘good night’ to your companions before giving in to sleep.

Concurrently, Akiteru just came home from buying groceries, stepping foot into the house and getting greeted with a heartwarming sight: his not-so-little brother trapped in the embrace of their mother. He carefully placed the groceries down and took the both of them in his arms, taking advantage of the fact that Kei was immobile to ruffle his blond tufts fondly. Kei grimaced and squirmed in their arms, groaning, “ Ugh, let go. I need to unpack.” Both of the brunettes pouted at him and begrudgingly let go, chiming in unison, “ So stingy~” Kei rolled his eyes then used them to scan the room, searching for a trace of your figure and finding none. It was silent so he assumed that you probably went in his room.. with Hachi and Yuki. Thinking about all the fur that they shed, he’s thankful that he doesn’t have allergies.

“ I’m going—”

“Kei, we need to talk later, okay? I fell asleep after dinner yesterday so I didn’t get to call you and (Y/N)- _chan_ again. Something happened, I know it.” Kei gulped at his mother’s words. Her instincts were really on point, he felt goosebumps rising on his skin. He wordlessly nodded and turned on his heels to go to his room. Closing the door, he dropped the bags on the wall beside it before walking over to his bed, features softening at your curled-up figure. He wanted to lay down next to you and cuddle you close to him, but your companions took up all the remaining space and he remembered that he had to talk with his mother. He playfully glared at Hachi and Yuki who peeked their eyes open then petting them on the head. “ You guys are lucky that I tolerate you.” Nah, he loves them really, for the years he’d been with you, he’d also fallen in love with them. Who wouldn’t, they were the sweetest and they had the same goal as him: to take care of you and to keep you out of danger’s grasps.

Kei placed a knee on his bed and bent over, leaning down to lay a kiss on your head before standing straight and quietly leaving his room, going down to the living room where his mother and brother were watching tv. Hinako patted the seat beside her. “ Where’s (Y/N)- _chan_?” she asked once he sat down and made himself comfortable, tucking his foot under his leg and leaning on the couch. “ She’s asleep. There’s never a time when she’s not quick to fall asleep on my bed.” He remembered you telling him that you love his bed more than yours, but he never asked you why; it must’ve slipped his mind to ask.

As if knowing his thoughts, Hinako told him, “ It’s because of your scent, Kei.” Kei’s directed his gaze to his mother, confusion flashing in his ochre orbs. He discreetly took in his scent and found nothing wrong with it. “ What about my scent?” he questioned, squirming in his seat uncomfortably. Akiteru watched his little brother, snickering beneath his hand and turning to look at the tv again when Kei shot him a glare. Hinako giggled and waved her hand dismissively. “ It’s not what you’re thinking, Kei. She told me to keep this a secret but you two are just so adorable, I can’t help it~ She loves your scent, Kei—I would tell you another secret but I’m exposing my cute daughter so much, she’d be mad at me.”

Kei rolled his eyes and stayed silent, processing her words, heat slowly rising up his cheeks. Maybe that was why you always steal his clothes and plushies because they had his scent. “ She won’t be mad at you, mom. As long as I don’t tell her that you told me.” Hinako giggled again and said, “ I know~ I just don’t want to tell you..” then reached for the remote control and turned off the tv, ignoring Akiteru’s whining.

In an instant, she wore a serious expression, facing him. “ Tell me what happened, Kei. I saw scratches on her neck, did she..” Kei shook his head immediately. “ She did, but not in that way. We went to see her mother with Sakusa- _san_ , someone from her childhood in Tokyo who is also a close friend of her father. When we were about to leave.. her father came and she.. had a panic attack. I had to pin her down so she doesn’t do more damage to her neck and so she could receive sedatives via injection."

“ She doesn’t remember that we met her father.. Sakusa-san told me not to tell her.. but they’re thinking of putting her mother out of her misery this week. Her father’s losing hope, he might be the one to pull the plug, if he can, that is..” Hinako’s hand was covering her mouth, her hazel eyes shining with unshed tears. “ That’s.. terrible. (Y/N)- _chan_ wouldn’t be able to take that news well. Do you think we should see Nagata- _san_ soon?” Kei furrowed his brows and asked, “ Why? She’s not..” he trailed off, observing Akiteru rubbing his arm nervously, avoiding his gaze. “ What is it, _nii-chan_?” Akiteru raised his head and answered, “ You both might not notice it but since I’m came home from university, she’s.. Does she eat properly at school, Kei?” At his question, Kei’s reminded of the way you weigh when he carried you, you were very light, it scared him.

“ We’ve been busy and she disappears to the art club or music room every lunch break. Knowing how forgetful she is..” he sighed wistfully, “ I’ll make sure she’s eating. She ate a lot in Tokyo though.”

“ That’s great! Oh, did you buy her something, Kei?” Hinako began to change the topic, wanting to alleviate the heavy atmosphere and against Kei’s wishes, they managed to make him bond with them until Hinako had to make dinner and he went up his room again, waking your companions up. They jumped off the bed and stretched, Hachi rising up to lean on his legs while Yuki rubbed against them. He sighed and squatted down, gently scratching at the back of their ears, receiving a bark and a purr of approval. He opened the door for them and snickered after hearing Akiteru’s exclamation of surprise when they pounced on him. He closed the door again and went to sit at the edge of his bed, angling his head to look at you.

He didn’t want to wake you up, but he also didn’t want you to miss dinner so he placed his hand on your head, ruffling your (h/c) locks. “ _Chibi_ , wake up.” You groaned softly, hand reaching out for the hem of his shirt and clutching it, murmuring something in your sleep. Kei knew of a sure way to wake you up but that would seem like a foul play in your defense. Nevertheless, he still did it: poking at your side repetitively until you sat up, away from his probing finger. “ Whyy, Kei- _kun_?!!” you asked, putting a pillow in front of you to serve as your shield. He pointed at the corner of your mouth.

“ You were drooling in your sleep. I didn’t want you to drool on my pillows.” You gasped and hastily rubbed at the corner of your mouth. “ And the _chibi_ fell for that.” He chuckled when you glared at him, grumbling something under your breath and pouting, narrowing your eyes into slits, only to close them completely and nuzzling into the pillow in your arms, planning to fall back into bed. He clicked his tongue and yanked his pillow out of your grip, “ Tch, you can sleep later. Mom’s making dinner, you need to eat.”

“ Okay. Carry me,” you told him, crawling onto his lap and snuggling into his chest, your arms around his neck. It was times like this that he strongly pushed back his teenage hormones by thinking of the most disgusting things; he did these for years now, at least when he first started having sexual thoughts. Your body developed early than most females and he didn’t mean it but he could feel it (them, actually), especially since you were so close, pressed onto him. And he respects you too much, even if it doesn’t seem like it due to his teasing and times when he’d ignore you, he doesn’t dare to touch you in _that_ manner unless you want to and mainly because you—

“ Kei? Dinner’s ready! Can you wake (Y/N)- _chan_ up?” his mother called downstairs and he answered a short ‘yes’ before standing up and securely holding you against him and climbing down the stairs carefully, the corner of his lips twitching and cheeks heating up when he felt you sniff him, he almost didn’t feel it but it confirms what his mother said. He might have a chance with you after all. Meanwhile, your flushed face was hidden in his chest; you hoped he didn’t notice your heart beating faster than usual.

Reaching the dining room, Kei used his foot to pull your chair out of the table before placing you down, having to bend to do so. He groaned when you kept on clinging to him. “ Let go, _chibi_. Stop being a koala.” You complied and slowly unwrapped your limbs from him, staring across you with a wide smile while still looking sleepy. Koalas are cute so.. “ Kei- _kun_ thinks I’m cute!!” You giggled, looking over to him who scoffed. “ Yeah, keep deluding yourself.” He rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that day, doing his best to fight off his blush, sensing his brother and mother watching their interaction with knowing grins.

“ Of course you’re cute, (Y/N)- _chan_!! You’re so _pret_ —I mean, beautiful!” Akiteru threw Kei and his mother an apologetic look, almost saying the forbidden word. They sighed in relief when you ignored it, thanking him enthusiastically, now fully awake because of the food’s appetizing smell and Kei’s indirect compliment.

Hinako smiled at her children and clapped her hands. “ Okay, let’s dig in!” They began to eat, asking you to tell them what happened in Tokyo and if you had fun. “ I had a lot of fun! Kei- _kun_ bought me a cute outfit and the team gave me art materials. I met Ryoko- _san_ and..” You babbled on and on, until all of you finished eating and you offered to wash the dishes, only for your help to be declined. “ Aki can help me so don’t worry and sleep, (Y/N)- _chan_! I know you’re tired and tomorrow’s a Monday, meaning a school day!~”

“ But!—”

“ Let’s go up, there’s morning practice tomorrow morning, _chibi_ ,” Kei reminded you, dragging you out of the dining room by the back of your shirt. He heard Akiteru chide him but he continued until the both of you were out of sight and in the confines of his room. You ran towards his bed and landed with a dull thump, turning to lay on your back and stare across the room, to him who was fixing his bags. You saw him taking what he bought out of the bags, adding the new dinosaur figurines to his collection on his shelf, placing the clothes that he bought for you in his closet, and you barely had the time to react when he threw the dinosaur plushy that you took interest upon yesterday to your face. Fortunately, it was soft so you didn’t get hurt, but since it hit your nose, you sneezed in a kitten-like manner.

Before you could whine and complain about what he did, he spoke, “ That’s yours.” You blinked then sat up, staring down at your favorite dinosaur plushy, then at Kei, back down, and back at Kei again. “ You’re giving it to me? Is it mine now?” you asked, (e/c) orbs wide in disbelief. Kei raised a brow, walking towards you. “ What, you don’t want it? Fine, I’ll take it back—”

“ NOO! IT’S MINE NOW! I SHALL NAME IT HOTARU!” His eye twitched at your choice, knowing you did it to spite him. He clicked his tongue, “ Tch, fine. Do what you want. Move.” He shoved you (gently) out of the way so he could lay down on his side with his back towards you, taking his glasses off and setting it on the bedside table along the way. He hears you giggle and talk to the plushy, “ I’m sorry, Hotaru but for the meantime, you can watch us from there.” You placed the plushy on the bedside table before laying down and snuggling into Kei’s back, arms circling around his midriff.

He turned around and pulled his blankets over the two of you, and getting into your usual position where he wraps his arms around you and you tuck your head under his chin. “ Kei..” you mumbled, your lips brushing against the skin of his neck, making him shudder. He hummed, running a hand through your (h/c) tresses. “ Thank you..”

“ For what?” he asked as he looked down at you, only to be met with your eyes closed and lips parted with your cute little snores. “ You’re so lame.” He snorted then pecked you on the top of your head, sighing in content as he pulled you closer and tangled his legs with yours, his eyelids beginning to droop.

_‘ Now that I think about it, exams are coming soon.. This is like the calm before the storm.’_ He chuckled lightly at his last thought before he drifted off to sleep. If only he knew that the storm was worse than the dreaded exams, he would’ve spent more time with you and controlled his emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rina: I’M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE AS USUAL!
> 
> I’ve always been a student with consistent A+ grades but online classes are just so mentally and physically draining, I’m soo damn tired.
> 
> I think it would take two or three chapters until we get to the parts with trigger warnings and I think I might upload a one-shot (also with a trigger warning) next—I don’t know, I’m so indecisive at times. Sigh..
> 
> I hoped you enjoyed reading! See you in the next update, min’na~


	21. Good News!

After the team's loss to Aoba Josai in the Inter-High, they've been practicing harder, playing practice matches, and running up and down the well-known heartbreak hill. Currently, the boys were on a water break and since you didn't have any matters to attend to (like usual), you helped Shimizu give out water bottles even if she told you that it was alright. You walked towards your rowdy _senpais_ and gave them theirs, not noticing the dramatic tears that they have shed before moving on to your childhood friends with another two in your arms.

" Shouldn't you be in your club, _chibi_? You're always here when you're not even a part of this club," Kei said after taking the water bottle and bringing it up to his lips to take a sip. You immediately averted your gaze to Tadashi who scolded him nervously, " T-Tsukki, don't be mean!" and turned to thank you, taking the bottle and towel from your hand.

You took a step towards Kei and asked him to lean down, making him raise a brow before shrugging and bending down to your height. You rise up on the tip of your toes and used his shoulder as leverage while wiping his face and neck free of sweat. " It's okay, Tada- _kun_. We know that Kei- _kun_ had always been mean since childhood," you said with a teasing smile, pouting when the towel was yanked out of your hand and Kei straightened his back, wiping his own sweat away with a roll of his amber eyes. " Yeah.." Tadashi sweatdropped at the glare that Kei threw him after he agreed to what you said.

" Okay, let's start the second set!!" Daichi announced.

Everyone went back on the court and you sat beside Shimizu again, watching as the ball went flying back and forth across the net. You watched in awe just like the first time you saw Kei and Akiteru playing in their backyard when you both were still kids. The sound of pen scribbling on paper beside you took your attention. You read the encircled words at the top right part. " Ma..nager? You're looking for a new manager, Kiyo- _senpai_?" you asked suddenly, causing her to flinch. She faced you with her index finger placed upon her lips. " Shhh, (Y/N)- _chan._ Let's keep this a secret, okay?" You nodded and talked with her in small whispers.

" Is there anything I can do to help, Kiyo- _senpai_? I would apply but.. I'm still trying to find some members for our club.. No one's really interested nor active in art club here, I might have to disband it.." You looked down with a frown then instantly raised your head, waving your hands in dismissal when Shimizu offered to help. " No, no! You're looking for a new member, Kiyo- _senpai_! Besides, it's not that much of a big deal, really.." You trained your eyes on the court again, watching the team with soft (e/c) orbs and a gentle smile. " The team's my second family. I love being here and watching them play to their heart's content, watch as they steadily improve and how they keep looking for ways to fly.. I—K-Kiyo- _sen..pai_!?" your murmured into her shoulder when she suddenly embraced you but nevertheless, you hugged back just as tightly.

" We don't deserve you, (Y/N)- _chan_. You're too precious.." You parted your lips to deny it but were interrupted by Noya's shout, " _ROORINGUU...SANDAA_!!" You and Shimizu pulled away, staring at each other before giggling simultaneously. Your eyes swept over the court, to Kei and Tadashi's direction, observing the blonde's pissed off expression, managing to make out what he said by his lips' movement. " So annoying.."

Realizing you stared at his lips again, you hid your burning face into Shimizu's arm, startling her. " What's wrong? Are you okay, (Y/N)- _chan_?" You nodded into her arm, clutching the area by your chest and feeling your heart pounding from underneath your hand. What was happening to you? Your heart always seemed to beat faster around Kei after the kiss incident (or at least, you started to notice it beating faster after that) but you remembered that he said it was nothing... At that, you pushed the oncoming thoughts to the back of your mind and went back to watching. A few more points and the whistle signaled the end of the match. " Okay, that's all for today!"

" Coach! Can we please play another set?!" Hinata asked and Kageyama seconded, " Please, coach!" Coach Ukai rubbed the back of his neck, saying, " You shouldn't push yourselves too hard just to make progress. Captain, why don't you talk them out.." he trailed off, seeing Daichi's eyes shining with determination. Coach Ukai sweatdropped and skimmed the court, his gaze landing on you. " (L/N)! Why don't you talk them out of it? I'm sure they'd listen to you."

Everyone tensed once they heard your footsteps coming towards them. Hinata sighed and bowed his head, already assuming that you'd ask them to rest; not to overexert themselves. You looked up to Coach Ukai with your puppy eyes. " Can they please play another match, coach? Pretty please?" You jut your bottom lip out to deal the final blow. Ukai ran a hand up and down his face in frustration before letting out a " Fine." The team cheered and Hinata being the closest one to you, embraced you tightly, bringing you up a bit. You giggled and hugged him back while ruffling his orange tufts. " Uwaahh! (Y/N)- _chan_ , thank you so much!!"

Tadashi gasped, urging a chain reaction of the first years crowding around you. He scolded him, stepping in front of you while Kageyama hit the back of his head, " Hinata! You're sweaty, you shouldn't hug (Y/N)- _chan_!"

" YOU'RE SUCH A _BOKE_! HINATA, _BOKE_!"

Hinata bowed his head to you to apologize, his hands shielding his head from the setter's hand. " I'm so sorry, (Y/N)- _chan_ , please forgive me! STOP HITTING ME, _BAKAGEYAMA!"_ He growled, pushing him away then running to hide behind Suga. You giggled from behind Tadashi, your giggle morphing into a yelp when you got lifted from the ground by the back of your shirt. You swiveled your head to take a look at the culprit, only to see Kei with his face scrunched up.

"You're disgusting. This is why you don't get taller. You keep getting touched by short people like shrimp over there," Kei told you, placing you down on your feet and back to your previous position beside Shimizu on the bench. " That's not how it works, Kei- _kun_! Now, shoo! Do your best!" You huffed then shooed him away with your hand, sticking your tongue out when he clicked his tongue and walked away. ' _When will you move on from Aki-nii's lie? You know that he had his reasons, Kei-kun..'_ you thought with a sad smile then shook your head. You'll confront him about giving his best efforts for the club some other time.

" You wanna fight, Stingyshima?!" Hinata emerged from behind Suga and held his fists up. " I heard that, you know!" Kei went back to his place on the court beside Tadashi, narrowing his eyes at Hinata. " Of course you do. Monkeys have ears after all." Kei smirked down at him while Tadashi snickered beneath his hand, supporting the blonde. But before the situation could get out of hand, Daichi clapped his hands twice and told them to get ready in their positions with an intimidating aura, urging them to comply.

The sun was about to set, shrouding the whole school in a soft orange hue when the last match ended. 25-19 in favor of the red team, Kei and Tadashi's team. You were standing beside Hinata and Kageyama, just finished in handing them towels and water bottles with a refreshing smile on. " You did great, Shou- _kun_!" you told him, tilting your head to the side when he didn't respond like usual, still staring at the score board. You called him again, your voice getting overpowered by his own, " Kageyama, can you still play? Can you toss for me?"

A second after the initial shock, Kageyama placed his water bottle on the window sill and wiped his lips, replying, " Sure." before he went to the court with the orange head. "Haven't you two played enough?!" Tanaka asked, flabbergasted at the energy that the duo still had. Albeit you were worried about them tiring themselves too much, you decided against speaking up and left them to play a bit more, walking over to your childhood friends. Tadashi had a face mixed with awe and concern for his fellow first years while Kei had a scowl matched with creased eyebrows on as always.

"Stop glaring at them, Kei- _kun_!" you chided once you were in front of him, placing your hands on your hips and raising your chin up to seem tall. Kei was irked and was about to retort but the door burst open and Takeda- _sensei_ fell face-first on the floor, his nose bleeding when he raised his head. Everyone gathered around and asked him if he was alright, pointing at the blood coming out of his nostrils. You rushed to get tissues from your bag and reached it out for him to take. " Be careful next time, Take- _sensei_!"

" Thank you, (Y/N)- _chan_! I was just excited.." He cleared his throat before starting, " So as I was saying.. We're going, right?" he asked, gaining a lot of questions from the team as to where. " To Tokyo!" Hearing the word 'Tokyo', your cousin and Kuroo instantly popped up in your mind. You bounded over and squeezed yourself in between Kei and Tadashi, holding their wrists and swinging them to catch their attention. " We're going to see Kenma- _nii_ and Kuroo- _nii_ again!" Kei clicked his tongue and shook your hand off his wrist. " Can you not? And don't say ' _we'_ , you're not a member of this club, remember?" He's still a bit pissed off because he's tired; his tone might've shown it.

" Tsukki!" Tadashi was alarmed when you suddenly looked down, your hair covering your face. He cautiously parted your (h/c) locks to see your expression and sighed in relief. You were just staring at your phone, typing a message to someone in a rushed manner. You turned to look at Tadashi with wide (e/c) orbs, saying, " I forgot to lock our club room! I'll be quick!" You hastily excused yourself from the team with a bow and left to go to the art club, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling in your gut and the way the hair at the back of your neck stood up.

" King, shrimp, you're not tired, right?" Kei asked, staring at the doors that closed behind you.

" Why? What do you want, damn it?"

Kei turned to face him. " Follow her," he told him, neither a sarcastic smile nor a smirk on his face. A shiver went down Kageyama's spine; he trusted his instincts so even if it was against his pride to follow something coming from the blonde, he nodded without a single complaint and dragged Hinata out of the gym with him. " Whaa?! Kageyama, let go! You wanna fight!" Their voices got muffled when the door closed behind them. Everyone was too absorbed in their own conversation, they didn't pay attention their surroundings and who left already to change in the club room.

" Yamaguchi." Kei glanced at his friend from the corner of his eye, calling his attention. Once he saw that he was ready to tune in, Kei looked back at the door with an unreadable expression and spoke, " Did you see them? There were two.. maybe three shady figures." Tadashi took a while to process what he said. He knew that Kei didn't believe in ghosts so what was he talking about?... His olive hues widened in realization. He turned to the blonde to confirm his suspicions. Observing how his jaw tightened and his posture was tense, Tadashi couldn't help but let out in a loud voice, " TSUKKI! WE NEED TO GO!"

Tadashi wore a panic-stricken face, catching the attention of the others. He flinched and shook his head to dismiss it. " I-It was nothing! I just wanted to get.. fries! Yeah, I just wanted to get fries with Tsukki!" Tanaka trapped Tadashi in a headlock while Suga karate-chopped him on the head. " You scared us there, Yamaguchi! Who knew you had such a loud voice?" Tadashi smiled sheepishly, throwing Kei a worried glance.

Meanwhile, you were climbing up the stairs swiftly to get to the art club room, humming to yourself once you reached the third floor. As you neared the club room, you heard noises. You were unsure whether it came from behind you or in the club room so you decided to check, slowly sliding the door to the club room open. You blinked, seeing the room deserted and everything in their rightful places. _So if the sound wasn't coming from inside the club room then.._

You froze, feeling towering presences behind you. Your heart rate started to pick up pace, seeing the shadows casted on the ground in front of you. You gulped in nervousness before slowly turning to face whoever they were, your eyes closed out of fear.

" Aren't you going to lock it, (Y/N)- _chan_?" Hearing the familiar voice that aways asked for a toss, you finally opened your eyes, catching the sight of orange tufts and a raven head. You sighed in relief, placing a hand on your chest, your heart rate going back to normal. " You scared me, you guys! I thought someone was following me!" you joked, turning to the door again and fiddling with the lock.

Unbeknownst to you, Kageyama and Hinata stared at each other then at the end of the hall by the stairs. " Let's go back! Kei- _kun_ will be pissed off if I take too long." You faced them with a grin, receiving a snicker from the orange head and a nod from the setter. Kageyama went first with fast strides, looking over his shoulder and sending a telepathic message to Hinata. The latter got the memo and engaged in a conversation with you, distracting you from staring at what Kageyama was doing. His blue eyes were narrowed into a scrutinizing gaze, looking into the rooms' small windows as he passed by them, until the three of you reached the stairs and went down to the first floor.

This time, you noticed Kageyama staying behind the two of you which weirded you out because he was the one in front a while ago. " Tobio- _kun_? What's wrong?" He flinched at your call but was quick to answer, " It's nothing, (Y/N)- _san_. I just thought I dropped something." You believed his excuse and went back to talking with Hinata, laughing at his imitation of Kageyama.

Reaching the gym, you saw your childhood friends waiting outside, already dressed in their uniforms. You waved and ran towards them. " Sorry if I took too long, Kei- _kun,_ Tada- _kun_! Let's go now?" you asked, scanning if your upperclassmen were still here to say goodbye properly.

" You'll go home without your bag?" You scanned Kei and failed to find the presence of your bag on his shoulder, gasping when it dawned upon you. " Kei- _kun_!! You didn't get my bag?!" Your words got muffled when you went inside the gym to look for it. You forgot where you last placed it, you might take long; Kei knew you would so he took advantage of that. He made sure that you weren't about to come out of the gym then faced Kageyama and Hinata.

Judging from their faces, Kei knew the shady figures he saw earlier weren't just his imagination brought to him by fatigue. " How many were they?" he asked Kageyama. " Three of them. They followed her up to the third floor. Luckily, this _bok_ e made a lot of noise and ran up the stairs, scaring them into hiding," the setter answered. Kei clicked his tongue, feeling his blood boil from beneath his skin. " Don't let her go anywhere alone. I don't care who watches her, the king, the shrimp, or you, Yamaguchi, just don't leave her alone." They nodded and after a few moments, they heard the gym doors opening and you emerged from behind them. Suga's head popped out after you, " Go home safely, okay, (Y/N)- _chan_? Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, you guys too!"

" We will, Suga- _senpai_!" you replied as you squeezed yourself in between your childhood friends and linked your arms with theirs, making Kei click his tongue as he started walking, dragging you and Tadashi with him. You said goodbye to the freak-quick duo then turned your attention to Tadashi. " Did I take too long? Why is Kei- _kun_ grumpier than usual?"

" No, you didn't take too long, (Y/N)- _chan_. Tsukki's just in a bad mood," he assured you. Kei's brow twitched in irritation but he let it slide, thinking about how he would leave you alone for a week. He knew he shouldn't because you didn't really have friends outside the volleyball club; that might be partly his fault for always sticking to your side with his intimidating height.

He needed you to go with them, but how? He tried to think if he can just ask Takeda- _sensei_ to think of an excuse for you but that's too much work for him, he already connected with coach Nekomata and asked the school principal for permission. The exams were just around the corner too, Takeda- _sensei_ had a lot on his plate, Kei didn't need to add more. He breathed out his nose sharply and pinched the bridge of his nose.

_' I'll still ask him if you can come with us..'_ he thought as he heard you say goodbye to Tadashi when he reached his street, your hand finding his and your head nuzzling onto his arm. " Are you a cat? Stop it."

" I am! Nyan, nyan~"

You pouted once you didn't hear a retort coming from him. " Why are you so grumpy today, Kei- _kun_? Are you on your period?" His nose scrunched up in disgust and he glared down at you, making you laugh.

**_ The next day... _ **

Classes were over and club hours were about to start. At the moment, you were stuffing your things inside of your bag, zipping it close then slinging it over your shoulder. Your phone dinged and vibrated in your pocket as you walked towards the door. You checked the most recent one, gasping and rushing to get out of the door to your clubroom, forgetting to say goodbye to your childhood friends. Tadashi was about to chase after you when Kei stopped him, saying, "We're going on a run today, Yamaguchi. Save your energy."

"But—"

" Club hours are just about to start, she'll be safe," Kei told him, adjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder and walking out of their classroom. No one would do something questionable in broad daylight and with people around, so as long as they pick you up from your club room or you finish up early, then you're safe from whoever was following you. Tadashi's worries eased away a little because if you really were in imminent danger, Kei wouldn't be acting like this.

While they went to their club room near the gym, you were running towards your club room on the third floor. You rushed more to get to the door at hearing a crashing sound coming from the inside. You abruptly slid open the door, your (e/c) eyes wide when you saw someone. You immediately ran towards them, dropping your bag in the process.

" Hi- _chan_! Are you okay?" you asked in concern, kneeling down in front of the blonde-haired girl hiding under a table. She raised her head, her brown orbs shining with tears and her bottom lip quivering. " (Y/N)- _chan_!! I was scared! There were three scary looking guys by the stairs before I came here!"

You blinked twice, tilting your head in confusion as you repeated her words while coaxing her out of her hiding place, " Three guys?" The both of you flinched at the sudden voice from behind you. " You mean, us?" The blonde girl hid her face in your chest, clinging onto you tightly; forcing you to sit on your legs.

You looked over your shoulder and patted the blonde girl's head with a sigh of relief, saying, " It's alright, Hi- _chan_.. They're upperclassmen from the basketball club. They come here from time to time to check on me and see if I already recruited members."

" Oh my god! I judged by appearance again! I'm so sorry, _senpai-tachi_!" She apologized, pulling away from you and bowing her head until it reached the floor. You giggled at her antics then pulled her up to stand with you, engaging into a small talk with your seniors before they waved goodbye and went down the stairs.

"Say, Hi- _chan_... you aren't in a club yet, right?" you asked her as she aligned the desk that she used as a hiding place with the others, your (e/c) orbs gleaming in hope. She shook her head, squeaking in surprise when you held her hands. " Then would you like to apply for the manager position for the Boys' Volleyball Club??" She nodded in a daze, getting lost in your sparkling eyes.

You embraced her tightly, snapping her back to her senses. " Great! Let's go get a form from Takeda- _sensei_ in the faculty room!" The blonde was scared earlier so she didn't notice how close you were to her and how she was hiding her face in your chest, but now that she's in the right mind, her face heated up in embarrassment. She instantly pulled away from you and covered her face with her hands.

_' I'll also turn in the form for disbanding this club..'_ you thought with a solemn smile gracing your lips as you stared at the club room. There were members but they're only registered in names, they don't attend club activities. It might be your fault for letting them do what they want and lying to your advisor, but it's fine. You're disbanding the art club and joining a new one.

* * *

After going to the faculty room and escorting your blonde-haired friend to the school gates, you began to walk to the gym. It was odd when you didn't hear the squeaking of shoes on the polished hardwood floor and the yells of enthusiasm from the inside so you assumed that they were still out for a run. You decided to wait inside and sat on the stage, excited to tell the good news.

You flinched when you heard coach Ukai's voice from outside. " Oi, you three! Are you from the volleyball club? What are you snooping around for?"

" Tsk, kids these days.." The doors opened and coach Ukai and Takeda- _sensei_ went in. You greeted them, your voice echoing and startling them at first. They greeted you back and told you that the boys went on a run. " They might be going back now." Just as coach Ukai said that, familiar voices neared the gym and soon, the doors opened, the boys coming in with Kiyoko coming last. Seeing you perched comfortably on the stage, Hinata, Tanaka, and Noya were the first ones to go to you.

"OUR ANGEL IS HERE!"

"ANOTHER BLESSING FROM THE HEAVENS HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO US AS ALWAYS!"

"(Y/N)- _CHAN_ , YOU'RE HERE!!"

Before anyone could hug you and lift you up from the stage, they were stopped by coach Ukai. "Oi, don't you have any consideration for (L/N)? You all reek of sweat, don't taint her scent with yours." At that, they stopped and bowed in a ninety degree angle, apologizing to you in syn. The scene was comical, everyone either laughed, snickered, or snorted at their antics.

"Okay, gather up! _Sensei_ has something to say!"

Everyone sat on the floor, hugging their legs loosely as they listened to Takeda- _sensei_. You sat with the first years as usual and waited for your turn to speak. "So..." Takeda- _sensei_ began, "About the Tokyo away games that I mentioned yesterday... for now, it's scheduled to take place next month. Since they are away games, you must get permissions from your parents or guardians. I will be handing out the permission slips later. We've received consent from the school."

Smiles, grins, and relieved expressions were shared but Takeda- _sensei_ wasn't done speaking yet. "But... next month, you'll be having the final exam. You know that, right?" Coach Ukai flinched from his spot beside Takeda- _sensei_ while four people visibly tensed at the knowing look he threw at them. " You know that, right?" Four heads turned to the side, avoiding his gaze.

" So I believe that you realized by now, that if you fail the exams, you'll have to attend supplementary classes during the weekend. In that case, you can't join the away games." Processing the class advisor's words, the four troublemakers turned blue, shaking in their spots. Then suddenly, Tanaka and Noya shot up from their seats and ran.

"Oi, you can't run away from this! Ennoshita, stop them!" Daichi demanded, the latter complying immediately. " Roger!" He successfully managed to block the two from going anywhere, stopping them in their tracks.

"How many points do I need to pass?!"

"You don't know that?!"

"KAGEYAMA'S NOT BREATHING!" Hearing that from Tadashi, you left Kei's side to check on the raven head, seeing him white as paper when you knelt down beside him. You tried to shake him out of it but to no avail, he was frozen. You searched around for help but everyone was occupied. You stood up and went to Kei, tugging at the sleeve of his jacket. You pointed at Kageyama's direction where Tadashi was shaking him back to his senses like you did but failed too.

Kei snickered and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't care. It fits the king well. Oh no you don't." He blocked your closed fist from punching his arm, his large hand enveloping it completely. You didn't know if anyone could notice, but you knew that if you didn't get your hand out from his, your cheeks will turn noticeably red. Maybe you were sick... You don't want anyone to fuss over you when you are and possible catch it.

"If you want to remain in the club, you should have good grades."

"You shouldn't fail your exams." You used that to pull your hand away from Kei's and went to Shimizu to tell her the good news. She gave you a small smile as you approached, leaning in to whisper the good news. It was impossible to announce it to the others as they were currently facing a dilemma of their four star-players not passing the exams.

"I disbanded the art club, Kiyo- _senpai_. I already applied to be a manager. I also found a first year that's not in a club. She's very cute, I like her so much, and I'm sure you'll do too, Kiyo- _senpai_.." you told her in a hushed voice, not wanting to spoil the boys about the surprise.

"Oi, oi, what's this? Two girls whispering among themselves? Are we talking about crushes?" Suga pretended to listen in, a hand placed over his ear. You shook your head furiously while Shimizu revealed a part of the surprise, " (Y/N)- _chan_ just told me about her friend who's very cute and how she likes them very much." The words '(Y/N)- _chan_ ' and 'like' straightaway caught everyone's attention, Kageyama even came back from the dead to listen. You blushed at the set of eyes watching you and Shimizu. "K-Kiyo- _senpai_! Why did you tell them?!" She just giggled while the others tried to ask you who it was and to describe who it was.

"T-They're blonde," you stuttered out, twiddling with your thumbs. You blushed when Kei's face popped up in your mind, ducking your head and hiding your face in Shimizu's arm. Everyone whistled and some threw Kei knowing glances. He didn't notice it though, too keen on scrutinizing you and the red hue on your cheeks. He failed to identify if it was because of embarrassment of someone revealing your crush or from how everyone was watching you right now. Of course, he chose the latter. If you liked someone, he'd know by now... or so he thought.

The team wanted to know if the person you were describing was Kei so they asked more questions. "Are they smart?"

"Yes, they're in a college preparatory class too," you answered, your brows furrowing in confusion when Suga slapped Asahi on the back harshly. "Oh my god, Asahi! I am soo winning our bet! I told you she likes him too!" The third years recently made a bet about you liking the blonde back because why wouldn't you? Kei's been by your side for years, how could you _not_ fall for him? Asahi had a different opinion, stating that you secretly liked someone else; hence, the bet.

You blinked, repeating their words. "I like him? Oh, no! She's a her!" Before it could sink into their minds, Shimizu hid you behind her back and told them to change back into their clothes so they could go home early; also saving you from the onslaught of prying questions.

* * *

You met up with Kei and Tadashi at the bottom of the stairs leading to the club room. You went in between them as usual and started a conversation with Tadashi while the three of you walked home, passing by the _Sakanoshita_ store. "I can't believe Kageyama's bad in his studies. He seemed pretty smart to me. Hinata's obviously like that."

"Maybe we could—"

"Volleyball is the only thing in his head besides his brain, if he has one that is." You pouted at getting cut off by the blonde. You were about to speak but a loud voice calling Kei's name made the three of you to jolt forward in surprise.

"TSUKISHIMAA!.."

The three of you turned to see Hinata with his bike and Kageyama, the raven head looking to the side with a deep scowl; his hands shoved deep inside his pockets. Hinata spoke up again, adding an honorific to his name. "... _san._ Tutor us... please."

Kei's brows raised, his immediate reaction was to refuse. "What? I don't want to." You elbowed him, receiving a small glare before he turned his attention back towards the two who were asking for his help. Hinata continued, trying to convince the blonde. "Just ten minutes per day or just give us some tips?" Kei didn't show any signs of accepting their proposal so you turned to Tadashi, asking him for help. "I'll try to, (Y/N)- _chan_..." he mouthed.

"Tsukki, (Y/N)- _chan_ said that we could use the time before or after club hours." Kei's amber eyes skimmed over to his direction, sighing shortly then placing his hands on his hips, a smirk making its way on his face. "Isn't it unfair to ask the shrimp for help? What about your highness?"

Hinata elbowed him, persuading him to do the same as him, " Come on, ask for help too, Kageyama." It was against the setter's ego but he needed to do it if he wants to go to the away games and see your cousin's set-up once more. He mumbled, "Please teach us."

"What was that?" Kei asked, placing a hand over his ear while Tadashi snickered beside him.

"Please teach us."

"Speak up, king. I couldn't hear it."

"Kei- _kun_!" you scolded him, trying to pull him back from stepping closer towards the raven head and agitating him further. Kageyama had enough and yelled out, "PLEASE TEACH US, GODDAMN IT!" bowing in a ninety-degree angle and shocking all of you. Suddenly, the door beside all of you opened and Coach Ukai reprimanded all of you for being too noisy and disrupting the neighborhood. Kei grumbled under his breath, "Why am I getting scolded at?" It wasn't him who yelled at night in front of their coach's store.

You walked over to the two and squeezed their hands after apologizing to the coach, saying, "If Kei- _kun_ doesn't want to tutor you, then I can. Let's exchange numbers so you could come to my place to study after school tomorrow, okay?" The duo quickly nodded their heads and Hinata repeated his words of gratitude as he passed you his phone. As soon as you were done, you barely managed to say goodbye to the two before you got dragged away from them.

"You're going to teach them? They're bird brains, it'll be hard for you to teach them all by yourself, _chibi_ ," he told you, letting go of your arm and letting you walk on your own pace. " But I'm not alone. You're coming with us, right, Kei- _kun_? You too, right, Tada- _kun_?" The latter instantly nodded, leaving no choice for Tsukishima because he basically lived right beside you. Besides, he's not leaving you in your home alone with three teenage boys who barely had any control on themselves. He trusted Tadashi, but the other two, not so much.

The next few days were filled with more practice and study sessions before and after club hours. This time, you were looking for your friend in class 1-5 because Shimizu wanted to talk to her. "Excuse me, is Hi- _chan_ here?"

"(Y-Y/N)- _chan_! You didn't tell me you were coming!" Whispers and chatter filled the room on how a pretty girl asked for her; not them before she slid the door close. The blonde-haired girl felt a little proud because she was your friend but that still didn't change the fact that you were pretty and one of your admirers might stab her in the back out of envy. She shivered at the thought.

"Hi _-chan_ , meet Kiyo- _senpai_... She'll be the one to explain the duties of a manager so listen, okay? Don't get distracted." It was too late. Realizing that there were two pretty girls right in front of her, in the middle of the hallway in front of her class, she was unable to concentrate on the words coming out of their mouths. Instead, she started observing the details of the two pretty girls in front of her. The mole by Shimizu's mouth looked sexy. Both of your hair looked so silky. Everyone passing by them stopped to stare at the two of you, pink dusting their cheeks. She felt lucky as to even have the both of your attention.

"So would you like to give it a try?"

"Would you, Hi- _chan_? Please." She was brought out of her daze when you said 'please', her body straightening as she stuttered out her reply, " _H-Hai!"_ Both you and Shimizu looked at each other, your eyes glimmering in excitement. Shimizu grabbed the blonde's hand and thanked her, telling her that she'll introduce her along with you to the team after school. You hugged her. "I'm so glad you agreed!"

"W-What did I just agree to, (Y/N)- _chan_?" she questioned as she pulled away to look into your eyes, her arms still wrapped around you. You smiled, knowing she got distracted and faile to listen to Shimizu. "We' re going to be trying out as managers for the boys' volleyball club."

"E-EHH? V-Volleyball club? T-Tall, scary guys?" You nodded and assured her, "They're very nice to me, Hi- _chan_. They're not scary at all, just tall."

"N-Nice to you? They're your fans?! Oh my god, they might spike a volleyball to my face for touching you! I-I shouldn't touch—" you cut her off with a giggle, "Calm down, Hi- _chan_! We already talked about this. You're my friend." She felt delighted at hearing you say that, she started bawling into your shoulder, both in gratitude towards you and anticipation about what would happen later after school.

* * *

"It'll be alright, Hi- _chan._ Breath in, breathe out..." you said once the three of you were in the gym's doorway with a comforting hand on her shoulder. She followed your instructions but squeaked when Shimizu spoke, "Um, can I have a moment?" Seeing everyone's attention on the two of you, you gently pulled your friend from behind Shimizu then placing her in front of you. The team started to surround the three of you, causing her to tense in her place.

"A new member and (Y/N)- _chan_?!"

"Our angel is here!"

"What's going on?"

Shimizu looked over to her and gave her cue to introduce herself, "She's here to try out as a manager." You urged her too, offering a smile then gesturing towards the team. "I-I'm Yachi Hitoka."

"Really? That's amazing! As expected of Shimizu!" Suga complimented Shimizu but she only shook her head, smiling towards you. "It's actually thanks to (Y/N)- _chan_." Hinata excitedly bounded over to you to confirm what she said. "Is that true, (Y/N)- _chan_?" You nodded and he grinned, only to realize something.

"Club hours just started, right? Don't you have anything to do in the art club?" You just smiled at him, telling him that the art club was disbanded. He tilted his head like a lost puppy. You heard Shimizu clear her throat to catch everyone's attention again. "So as for today... we have _two_ new members to try out."

A pin-drop silence shrouded the gym. You took the chance and smiled brightly at the team, blinding them. "I'm (L/N) (Y/N), thank you for having me! I'll be with you guys a lot more." Then you bowed, sprinting towards your childhood friends that were as dumbfounded as the others were.

"So you're coming with us to the away games, (Y/N)- _chan_?" Tadashi asked, excitement evident in his tone. You confirmed it with an eager nod, looking towards Kei for his reaction. He was relieved, he didn't need to worry about having someone watch over you or convince you to not attend school during the away games.

A tug took him out of his thoughts. He looked down at you, raising a brow in question. "Aren't you surprised, Kei- _kun_? I didn't tell you about this," you told him, pouting when he just shrugged his shoulders. You huffed and turned to Tadashi, asking and pointing towards Yachi who was surrounded by some of the boys. "She's cute, right, Tada- _kun_?"

"Y-Yeah, she is," he admitted with a soft pink glow on his cheeks. You gasped and held his freckled cheeks. "I'll help you get together with her! So these are what she likes, listen attentively, okay?" He shook his head and pulled your hands down from holding his face, turning his head to the side to hide his now-red cheeks. "She's cute... but I like someone else."

"Oooh~ Tell me, tell me!"

"No, it's a secret, (Y/N)- _chan_!"

"Does Kei- _kun_ know? Kei- _kun_ , tell me!" You turned to the blonde, waiting if he was going to tell you. What would he tell you? He didn't know who it was, he barely even paid attention to the girls that talked to his friend just to ask about Kei and how to read the character for his first name. He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Besides, it's none of your business, _chibi_."

"I know it's not..." You pouted then continued, "But Tada- _kun_! I might be able to help!" Tadashi smiled. Of course, you can help him. After all, the person he likes is... A whistle was blown, calling everyone's focus.

"Receivers on this side, servers on the other side. Get in your positions!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rina: Okay! I'm absolutely sorry for not updating for almost a month. Time passed by fast, I didn't notice. Because of school, I'm updating monthly, not weekly anymore. 
> 
> I'm so sorry, min'na T^T 
> 
> But anyway, I'd like you guys to choose one from below. The one with most votes would be the one I'd make next for my "I Really Like You, Kei! One-shot book."
> 
> 1.) What If 
> 
> 2.) Liar and a Cheat - Trigger
> 
> 3.) As You Wish 
> 
> 4.) I Believe You 
> 
> 5.) Say Cheese!


	22. Stag Beetles and a Letter

" Should I buy some for Tobio- _kun_ too? He likes Gungun yogurt, _ne_?" You asked yourself, pushing the button for the drink and waiting for it to fall before picking it up with your drink. By the time that you did, you finally noticed that in your haste to leave the classroom to get your daily dose of your favorite strawberry milk, you failed to notice it was already pouring rain.

You were tempted to step out from under the roof's protection so you could allow yourself to be drizzled by the raindrops, but you might get a scolding from not only Kei but also from the team since you get sick easily and you don't have a spare change of clothes. But still, you wanted the rain to drop on your skin, impaling it like little fluid daggers without going through and allowing the coldness to seep in and spread through the expanse of your outreached arm.

You watched as a droplet trailed down your arm and into the sleeve of your cardigan, reminding you of something. You shivered and dropped your arm, beginning your trek back up to your room. On the way, you saw Hinata and Kageyama come out of class 1-4 with irritated expressions. "Damn it. Tsukishima is so stingy! Stingyshima!" you heard the orange head say.

"Kei- _kun_? What did he do this time, Shou- _kun_?" you asked once you were in front of them, stopping them in their tracks at the middle of the hallway. "Yoshida- _sensei_ wasn't around so we wanted to ask him some questions since we suck at English... But damn, that Stingyshima, he told us to come back during business hours. Someday, I'll rip his headphones off and break it in front of him— _Ita!_ What was that for, Bakageyama?!" Hinata turned to the setter while rubbing the back of his head.

"You say that, but you can't help but flinch or hide behind me when he glares at you, _boke_." The orange head huffed and grumbled something under his breath, not denying his statement. That reminded you...

You held out a milk box towards the raven head, urging him to take it with a smile. "This is for you, Tobio- _kun_. I saw you drinking this a lot of times so I figured this might be your favorite." Pink hue dusted his cheeks as he muttered small 'thanks' and took the milk from your hand hesitantly. Hinata was elbowing him when he saw his blush, earning him another hit.

"Hey, about English..." you started, catching both of their attention. "I can give you an extra copy of my notes if you want to. But I think my handwriting's not pleasing to look at, so I'm embarrassed to give it to you..." Your cheeks flushed, your gaze dropping on your hands as your fingers nervously fumbled with each other. You squeaked, suddenly feeling someone's arms constricting around you. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, (Y/N)- _chan_!"

" _OI, BOKE!_ You're squeezing her!" He was removed by the setter grabbing the back of his shirt. For such a small boy, Hinata had a strong grip on you, you could barely breathe. Once released, you gasped for air discreetly and said it was okay when Hinata bowed to apologize. You led them back to your room so you could get the copies of your notes from your bag. Kei perked up at the movement from the corner of his eye and took off his headphones, turning to you; not expecting the two morons with you.

Hinata gave him a small glare but immediately turned to you when you handed them the copies of your notes. Their eyes sparkled as they scanned it. Your notes were neat and organized. "Your handwriting's not bad at all, (Y/N)- _chan_! It looks amazing like WHOAH—" You covered his mouth with both of your hands, feeling the stares of your classmates. "Shh, Shou- _kun_! Not too loud!" You didn't like your handwriting; hearing his flattery made you bashful.

On the other hand, the orange head's face was drastically getting redder. Your hands were so soft, he stilled in his spot, as if to just focus on the feel of them. Kei saw this and shot up from his seat, grabbing both of your wrists with one hand and yanking it down with a glare made of daggers towards the orange head and the setter. "I thought I told you to come back during business hours, or are you both just deaf?"

The heat dissipated from Hinata's face as soon as the words slipped out of the blonde's mouth.He raised a closed fist, about to argue with him but Kageyama prevented him to, silently thanking you once again for the milk and the notes before dragging Hinata out with him, halting by the door once they heard you say, "Oh, yeah, Kei- _kun!_ Teach me how to solve this." They turned to see what Kei would do and saw you tug at your wrists, slipping out from his hand to get your Math notebook.

They both blinked, making sure it was not their hallucination that Kei nodded without any complaints, sitting back down on his seat with his headphones now dangling from his neck. You cheered, humming happily as you pushed your table and chair to his before sitting down and opening your notebook, pointing at something with the tip of your mechanical pencil and looking at Kei, expectantly waiting for his explanation.

"Oi, _boke_ , let's go. No use in asking him for help." Kageyama dragged Hinata away from class 1-4, meeting up with Tadashi in the hallway. "Ah, Yamaguchi! You're going to tutor us?!" Tadashi shook his head, clapping his hands together. "Sorry, I'm bad at English. (Y/N)- _chan_ and Tsukki's great at it though..."

"Yeah, we asked Stingyshima first but he's a jerk! On the other hand, (Y/N)- _chan_ 's such an angel, her notes are perfect, look!" Hinata almost shoved it to Tadashi's face if he had not taken a step back. "What did Tsukki say when you asked him to tutor you?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

"He blocked us out!"

"Unless we're (Y/N)- _san_ , he wouldn't tutor us."

Tadashi chuckled then proposed an idea. "Remember Yachi- _san_? She's from class 1-5, right? Maybe she could help."

Concurrently while they made their way towards Yachi's room, you were focused on solving a problem with Kei leaning on his palm and looking at what you were writing... or at least, where you thought he was looking at. His golden-brown eyes skimmed over your lovely visage: starting with your eyebrows that were furrowed in deep concentration, your long lashes touching your soft cheeks as you stared down at your notebook, scribbling down the solution for the new set of problems that Kei made for you, and your teeth gnawing on your bottom lip; his gaze stayed there, thinking about how it would feel to kiss you again.

"I got it! Can you check it, Kei- _kun_?" He snapped out of his daze as soon as you swiveled your head to face him, pushing your notebook towards his hand that was laying limply on top of his desk. While he was checking your solutions and final answers, you poked the white straw into your strawberry milk and sipped, leaning on Kei's shoulder as he circled the correct parts. He sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose, shrugging his shoulder to remove you from it, causing you to whine.

Your lips released the white straw as you placed your milk box down, about to ask why. "You're not done yet, _chibi_. Out of ten, you only answered six questions correctly. Do them again," he told you, pushing the notebook towards you again and grabbing the milk box, bringing it up to his lips to take a drink as he looked out the window; observing the droplets racing down the glass. He blinked, realizing that your reflection was staring back at him.

"What are you looking at, _chibi_? Answer the damn problems." He saw you flinch, instantly averting your gaze back down to your notebook to look over your mistakes, doing it over again with the help of Kei's small tips written in red beside the wrong steps that you did. You finally got them all correct after another try... but something was wrong with you.

You couldn't get the picture of Kei drinking your strawberry milk out of your mind; how his lips were wrapped around the straw that your lips were previously on, it reminded you of the time you last felt his lips on yours. _'Why am I so affected? It's merely an indirect kiss and it hadn't been his first time doing that...'_ Your face felt hot. You knew it. You were sick. You needed to sleep early tonight or sneak in naps in between classes.

_Cicadas were chirping, and three young teens stood under a tree's shade, away from the sun's fiery gaze. Two boys were holding stag beetles and nets, and a girl was looking at the beetles intently. After a few seconds of closer inspection, the girl giggled._

_"Tooru-nii, you lost! Haji-nii's beetle is larger than yours!" you told him while doubling over in laughter, seeing the brunette's defeated expression. "But (Y/N)-chan!! Look at it again, I swear mine's larger than Iwa-chan's!" he pouted, raising the stag beetle that he caught proudly in the air._

_Iwaizumi smirked at him, copying Oikawa's action and placing them beside each other for everyone to see the difference. "Mine's larger, Kusokawa. We're not blind but I think you should get your eyes checked." Your cousin took the beetle from his hand then set all the beetles that they have caught free, rolling his eyes while doing so because he can hear Oikawa whining behind him. He was about to be a high school student when summer break ends, yet he was still so immature most of the time._

_"(Y/N)-chan, Iwa-chan's so mean! Side with me please!" He pleaded with his bottom lip jutting out. You smiled, replying, "I would love to, Tooru-nii but you promised to give us milk bread if you lost the bet... and you lost so..." You watched as he huffed and crossed his arms on his chest, getting his net and stepping out of the tree's shade, walking off with the two of you following him. "I'm not talking to the both of you, hmmp." You and your cousin shared a look then chorused, "Okay."_

_Not even a second later, the brunette faced the both of you with a teary-eyed expression. "I'm just joking! (Y/N)-chan, not you too! Don't be like Iwa-chan onegaiiiii!" You laughed and hooked your arm with his and your cousin's. "If you give us your milk bread then all is well, Tooru-nii!" He only sighed in defeat._

_It was a particularly hot summer noon, so you were glad that you were wearing thin clothes like your cousin and Oikawa. The three of you stopped by a convenience store first to buy popsicles. They told you to wait outside because it was hotter inside with the air-conditioner broken. You were waiting for them outside, humming to yourself while looking through the glass to see their backs facing you._

_A meow took your attention away from them and you saw a pair of enchanting blue and yellow orbs belonging to a black cat. It stared right through your soul, sending chills down your spine. It blinked before running off. You took a short glance at the glass again to see your cousin and Oikawa still picking flavors then ran after the cat, wanting to pet it because it looked so pretty._

_You passed by a few alleyways before the cat stopped, its ears perking up in alarm. You slowed down and looked behind you, seeing that you were not that far from the convenience store your cousin and Oikawa were at. You crouched down next to the cat and tilted your head in confusion. "Why? What's wrong, kitty?" The cat hissed at your extended hand, but it did not scratch nor bit you. You grew even more confused when it hissed more, its fur standing up. You stared into its eyes, seeing something reflected on them..._

The bell signaling class dismissal came and everyone fixed their things, leaving their classrooms to either go home, to hang out at some place, or to attend club activities... Except for you, your head was laying on top of your folded arms, your eyes closed and lips parted with quiet snores. Kei saw you sleeping since the second to the last period but did nothing, he just continued to jot down notes knowing that you would ask for them later.

He stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Yamaguchi, I'll head to the club room first. Wake _chibi_ up by ten minutes," he said as he wore his headphones and walked out of the classroom, blocking every noise.

"W-Wait, Tsukki—" Tadashi sighed in defeat as more of your classmates left until only a few were there along with the both of you. He turned to face you, tucking a strand of your (h/c) hair behind your ear then crouched down beside your desk to fix your things, neatly stuffing them inside your bag. After doing that, he sat down on the blonde's table, waiting for you to wake up while scrolling through his phone and sending a message to Hinata.

While waiting for the usual reply coming from him, he yelped when you abruptly shot up with a gasp, your (e/c) eyes opened wide. He went to your side, placing a hand on your shoulder and rubbing soothing circles on it. "Are you okay, (Y/N)- _chan_? Another nightmare?" he asked, worry showing in his features. You blinked and looked up at him, reassuring him with a smile. "Don't worry, Tada- _kun_ , it was nothing. I can't even remember it..." You stretched your arms overhead then stood up, examining the deserted room and the empty seat beside you.

"Oh, Tsukki went ahead. I sent Hinata a text, telling him that we'll be late for practice."

"Kei- _kun_ left us? How long was I sleeping 'til the bell rang?" You took your phone out and looked at the time, gasping when you saw it. "You didn't tell me we were THIS late, Tada- _kun_!!" You were about to run off and drag him by his hand, but he stopped you. "We don't need to run, (Y/N)- _chan_. You have a low stamina, remember? Let's just walk."

Once the two of you reached the gym after Tadashi changed in the club room, you saw Yachi and Hinata talking by the doors. The orange head spotted you and Tadashi, instantly bounding over to you and giving you a tight hug, making sure not to accidentally squeeze you like last time. "(Y/N)- _chan,_ you're here! I got a 32 out of 50 in our test in English! Your notes really helped a lot, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, Shou- _kun!_ I'm glad I could help." You hugged him back and placed your chin on his head, petting his orange tufts. Tadashi cleared his throat from beside you, catching Hinata's attention. "Hinata, why don't you go warm-up? Kageyama and Tsukki's glaring at you..." It was at that moment, he knew—he'd be dead if he makes eye contact with either one of them. His arms that were wrapped around you quickly retreated and he ran back inside, stretching beside his upperclassmen; avoiding the glares thrown at him.

You greeted Yachi with a hug and gestured to Tadashi, about to introduce him. "Hi- _chan,_ meet—" Tadashi stopped you, telling you that he can introduce himself properly after club hours and ushered you to go inside the gym. Everyone was either stretching or goofing around like Noya and Tanaka who were too busy annoying Kei but as soon as they heard your voice greeting them, they fawned over you as usual. You threw them a closed-eye smile and a giggle, causing them to clutch at their chests and drop to the floor limply.

Before you could see it happening, you remembered to ask the blonde for his notes because you fell asleep through two lessons. You turned to him with a cheeky grin. "Can I copy your notes please, Kei _-kun_?" He only raised a brow, then a second after, smirked. "Bold of you to assume I'll let you copy my notes."

"But you will! Right, Kei- _kun_?" He hummed, pretending that he was thinking before saying, "No." You frowned and casted your head down but raised it when you heard Kei talk. "Not right now at least." He was looking to the side, avoiding your gaze. You smiled and wrapped your arms around his torso, thanking him. When you pulled away, coach Ukai went inside the gym and asked everyone to step on the court. Kei took his team jacket off and dumped it on your head, causing you to see black for a short moment before you pulled it down and wore it.

Then Shimizu pulled you and Yachi to the side as the boys stepped onto the court. "You'll just be observing today so you don't have to be nervous," she told her. Yachi stood stiff as a board, replying, "Aye-aye!" You giggled at Shimizu's confused expression for a moment before warning her, "Just make sure to watch out for stray balls, Hi- _chan_."

She turned to you. "Stray balls? D-Don't tell me there's assassins, (Y/N)- _chan_?" She looked around in paranoia, trying to see if there were shadows of the dark-clothed assassins lurking in the gym. She squeaked when coach Ukai approached the both of you. "(L/N), finally, you decided to join! Most of these boys only ever behave whenever you're here."

"Or whenever Daichi- _senpai_ gets mad." You giggled and introduced him to Hitoka. She flinched at the realization that she judged by looks again, going down on her knees and bowing as she apologized, shocking both you and coach Ukai. After a few moments, the boys started to play. You and Yachi stayed on the sidelines, talking to each other while observing them playing. "Nice kill, Tanaka- _senpai_!"

He clutched at his shirt, acting like a set of imaginary heart-shaped arrows shot through him. "Oh, to be cheered on by our angel!" Noya grinned at his friend, his thumb raised in an approving manner. "Lucky you, Ryuu!" They got reprimanded by coach Ukai to keep their head back in the game, to which they complied to quickly because they wanted to act cooler to hear more of your cheering.

"Amazing, right, Hi- _chan?_ But, they're not at their full potential yet..." you said while staring at them fondly, your (e/c) eyes wandering until they landed on Kei who just hit a ball that got blocked by the other team then received by Noya. Kageyama set the ball to Asahi who spiked it to Daichi's awaiting forearms. The receive was shaky so the ball hurtled towards you and Yachi. You were able to react in time, instantly standing in front of her and shielding your face with your arms. Thankfully, Hinata had ran after the ball, passing it back onto the court, preventing it from causing harm.

Shimizu rushed back to the two of you, asking, "Are you both alright?" You nodded with a smile while Yachi wiped her forming tears from her brown eyes, touched at the fact that you'd protect her from a stray ball and relieved that it didn't hit your lovely visage... "Y-Yes. It's just that I haven't watched a volleyball match this close-up before. They're so intense."

"We're actually one of the best teams that's great in offense—(Y/N)- _chan_!" This time, you acted too late and the ball that Hinata spiked hit your arm, below your elbow. The boys momentarily stopped playing, processing the scene beside the court. Yachi didn't know what to do, her hands were raised up to hold your arm and see the damage, her fingers twitching nervously. Shimizu beat her to it and folded the sleeve of Kei's jacket to see the damage. This happened a lot of times before, so she had no need to ask if it hurt, knowing that you'd say it doesn't hurt, even by the way you were wincing upon her light touches.

The noises on the court stopped and you turned to look at the boys, seeing them watching you. Your cheeks heated up in embarrassment and you waved your hand in front of your face, giving them a bashful smile. "I'm fine, guys! You can continue playing!" They did, but not without a rude remark coming from Kei. "Are you blind? Watch where you hit the ball, shrimp. You know she bruises easily." Instead of getting angry at the blonde, Hinata bowed in a ninety-degree angle towards you as he muttered a slew of apologies.

Shimizu sighed as she saw your forming bruise. "Do you want me to get an ice pack for you?" You shook your head and gently pulled your arm from her grasp, saying that you could do that at home. You faced Yachi with a cheeky smile. "And that is a demonstration on why you should avoid stray balls, Hi- _chan!"_

"Oh, and do you know, Hi- _chan_? Karasuno used to be a powerhouse school that reached the national level."

"National? Wow!" Shimizu and you giggled, having the same thoughts at seeing her awed expression. 'She's so cute.' Shimizu nodded to confirm it. "But now, they call us as the 'Fallen Champions' or the 'Flightless Crows'. This time, we'll make sure we make it to the national stage."

"That, we'll do," you seconded with a nod.

Practice ended as soon as the darkness covered the expanse of the sky, littering it with gazillions of fiercely shining stars. Everyone was gathered, listening to their class advisor and coach telling them of the change of plans for tomorrow. "Don't forget the anguish and bitterness you gained from losing to Seijoh. But I don't want you to get used to losing. You've got to pull yourselves together!"

You cheered with the boys, raising your arm in the air, almost half of the sleeve dangling past your hand. The boys dispersed into small groups, throwing on their jackets and changing their shirts. Your childhood friends were one of the first ones to finish because they didn't fool around. Kei held out his palm out expectantly once he was in front of you, making you tilt your head like a lost puppy.

"Give me back my jacket. I didn't even tell you to wear it." He watched as you slid it off with a huff and gave it to him, pouting at the loss of warmth and comfort enveloping your figure. He grabbed your wrist, raising your arm for closer inspection, clicking his tongue in annoyance. He asked you to give his jacket back so he could see the bruise, but now, he regretted it, especially since Hinata bounded over to you with tears in his eyes. Why did Kei regret it? Because he was tempted to punch him even if it wasn't entirely his fault.

He pushed the jacket towards you again, and you grabbed it with no complaints, smiling happily as he said, "On second thought, wear it again. And you—" he glared at Hinata, "—go away." Hinata glared back, about to challenge him to a fight but Kageyama pulled him away to discuss their quicks. "Kei- _kun_ , can you stop being mean to Shou- _kun_? It wasn't his fault... Oh, right! I forgot to introduce you and Tada- _kun_ to Hi- _chan_!"

"Hi- _chan,_ meet Kei- _kun_ and Tadashi- _kun_! We've known each other since childhood." Tadashi introduced himself with a friendly smile while Kei had a frown, his brows creased. "Are you the reason why _chibi_ doesn't eat lunch before art club was disbanded?"

Yachi's eyes grew wide as she turned to you. "But (Y/N)- _chan,_ you told me you already ate all those times!"You just looked away to the side guiltily. "Sorry for lying, Hi _-chan_. I won't do it again. We'll walk you home, okay?" You held her hands as you apologized, causing her cheeks to burn red.

She shook her head furiously once she processed your words. "It's okay, I don't want to be a bother to you guys." You wanted to insist but Shimizu passed by the four of you and said that she'd be the one to walk her home. "Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow, Hi- _chan_!" You hugged her, vaguely hearing Noya and Tanaka's comments about how the scene of their two managers hugging was too bright for their eyes.

When you pulled away, you remembered something and dug through your bag, your hand pulling out a set of hair ties with stars of various designs littered on their surfaces. Something else fell from your bag but you failed to notice it, giving Yachi the hair ties. "Here, Hi _-chan_. I forgot to give them earlier. You can wear a different one for each day!"

Kei's observing golden-brown eyes looked down at the thing that fell from your bag. He bent down to pick it up, raising a brow once he brought it up to his face; getting a whiff of your favorite scent, a strawberry scent. ' _It looked like a_...' He knew what it was because he's been on the receiving end of it.

"What's that, Tsukishima?" Hinata curiously peeked over his shoulder and gasped. "A LOVE LETTER?!!" His voice echoed all over the gym, attracting everyone's attention. Hinata was about to grab the vintage-looking envelope from Kei but luckily, he reacted fast, raising it over his head. It was a big mistake to be honest. Asahi took it with a mumble of apologies before passing it to Suga who _gently_ patted him on the back for a job well done.

A crowd formed around Suga, wanting to know the letter's contents and whom it was from. "I know Tsukishima's kind of—scratch that—he's definitely a heartthrob among the first-years, some girls in my class even talks about him too. So, let's see here..." Suga flipped the envelope, searching for the giver's name, only to stop at seeing a different name it was addressed to. "Tsukishima... is this from you?" he asked. His _kouhai_ was about to confess! Hope and glee started to bubble inside his chest, he couldn't contain his smile...

But his smile didn't last long as soon as Kei shook his head and said, "It isn't mine. I just picked it up, it fell from _chibi_ 's bag."

"This is for (Y/N)- _chan_ then?" Hearing your name, you squeezed yourself in between your childhood friends and made your way towards your gray-haired _senpai_ , asking, "What's mine, Suga- _senpai?_ " He handed the letter to you, feeling a bit conflicted at the smile on your lips. "Can I read this, Suga- _senpai?"_ you questioned with hopeful eyes.

"What are you saying, (Y/N)- _chan?_ Of course, you can! It's addressed to you!" He ushered you to open it, you followed his lead and took out the folded strawberry-scented paper, bringing it up to your nose. You smiled so sweetly, like it was your first time receiving a love letter.

"I just don't know what to do... It's my first time receiving something like this..." you told him with rueful (e/c) orbs, remembering all the times you look at other girls and even Kei at envy for receiving letters of admiration. It made you think small of yourself whenever you opened your locker with Kei and got greeted with nothing while his locker was flooded with letters.

Kei felt awfully guilty, he knew it was his fault for keeping you all to himself and Tadashi. He should have left you alone to make friends outside the volleyball team. Now that he thought about it, the reason why you did not tell him about your rendezvous with Yachi was because you never had a girl friend. You kept it from him because you thought he'd scare her away like the ones who attempted to be friends with you during elementary and middle school. Honestly, why was he such an ass? But he only did it for your sake, he watched girls' toxicity and he didn't want you to be tainted by it or get hurt because of it. And of course, he kept you away from boys too for obvious reasons.

He never knew letters of admiration meant a lot to you; he never knew how much of an effect it had on you. He watched as you opened it and brought it up to your nose with a sweet smile that made his stomach do flips and his heart ache because it wasn't him who was making you smile that way. It was whoever wrote—rather, printed the letter.

_I'm writing this and leaving it where you'll find it. It's not that I don't want you to know who I am, in fact it's quite the opposite because you know me quite well. I'm a coward but I'm not when it comes to your rejection. I'm expecting it actually. I was never someone who could fight for your love... I 'was' but now, I think I can. I need to try because it's better than having regrets, right?_

_It's not hard for anyone to adore you because you're an angel, even if you try to deny it, everyone will side with me. Whenever you flash your oh-so radiant smile towards us, it makes me think you're the embodiment of Venus. You're my evening star, I watch you more than the other stars because your beauty is different... so that's why I know how well you go together with the moon. You shine brighter whenever the moon is with you so how could I compete when I'm merely the mountains watching you both from below? I want to reach for you but I'm afraid of inevitably ruining something. I need to prepare myself first before giving this to you._

_I can never tell you any of this personally, or until I gather up enough courage to do so... also because you want something different from me, you want the moon. That's the reason why I'm hesitating, because I know I'm not the right one for you. I never was the right one for anyone; I'd never be the right one. But I will always be here for you and do anything for you in a heartbeat. All that matters is that your (e/c) eyes stay clear and bright, and your smile forever genuine. For now, at least I'm content in staying here, silently loving you and watching you glow radiantly beside the moon._

_-Seven (A hint if you want to find out who I am, the characters are from my name)_

_____________________________

The pink tint on your cheeks while you giggled was something they didn't expect. They didn't know how to feel. They're happy for you of course but they're having mixed feelings about the letter. They need to know who sent it since it was specifically stated in the letter that the one who wrote it was close to you. Kei was off the list; he didn't seem the type to do those type of things.

"What are you going to do once they confess to you (Y/N) _-chan?_ " Yachi asked with curiously sparkling brown orbs. She had never read nor knew the contents of a love letter before. Sure, she saw them being given to protagonists in the _shoujo mangas_ that she read but this was different; this was real life, it's bound to be different. You beamed a smile at her after placing the letter back in your bag, giving her your reply, "I'll accept it of course!" Okay, Kei was expecting that. You dated the 'Grand King' without his knowledge after all. He only knew after the two of you broke up. He was with you since childhood, it kind of—no, it really pained him that you didn't tell him about it. He thought he was the person you trusted most.

Silence shrouded the whole gymnasium after your admission. Everyone except the dense ones felt the glum aura that emanated from the blonde. "Shouldn't we be going home to rest for tomorrow's game instead of babbling about a stupid love letter?" Kei couldn't hold his tongue; his words came out too fast. "S-Stupid?" Your smile faltered and he punched himself mentally when your voice shook. He opened his mouth, about to take it back but his pain and bitterness changed his words, "You shouldn't even date at this age. You're too naïve, too gullible, easy to be taken advantage of because you give too much. You're a magnet to problems that always seem to follow you around. You're too weak, you always need me to be there—"

"Tsukki!"

"Oi, Tsukishima! How dare you!"

"Apologize to our angel, you punk!"

"Tsukishima! That's enough!" Daichi scolded him sternly along with others. You swallowed the lump in your throat. Everything that he said was true, that's why it hurt. "I-It's not stupid, Kei- _kun_... It means a lot to me, I—you wouldn't understand. You receive a lot of these so why can't I? And y-you have no say in who I choose to date, it's none of your business. I-I'm not weak, I don't need you because I'm fine by myself!" When you realized how wrong your words were, your eyes stung but you held back, not wanting to cry in front of team. Tadashi and Yachi saw, instantly rubbing circles on your arms comfortingly.

Kei clicked his tongue and scowled. "Then go, do whatever the hell you want since it's none of my business anyway. Find that secret admirer of yours and ask them to walk you home. I'm leaving." After he said that, he threw on his headphones and walked out of the gym in long strides. "T-Tada- _kun_ , let's catch up with Kei- _kun_ ," you told him quietly, clutching at the sleeve of his jacket and looking up at him with teary (e/c) eyes. Tadashi sighed and wiped your tears away, saying, "We should leave Tsukki alone first. He needs to cool his head off." You nodded, biting your bottom lip to prevent a whimper from escaping and hiding behind him once you realized that the team was staring.

"Please excuse us, we're going home." Tadashi bowed and took your hand in his, guiding you out of the gymnasium. The walk was silent until you both reached the park a block away from your house. You stopped him by giving his hand a squeeze. "Can we stay here for a while please?" Instead of replying, Tadashi nodded and led you to the swings, holding the seat for you to sit down on before sitting on his own.

You stared up at the moon above solemnly, admiring the stars that littered the night sky. The scenery was beautiful, but it didn't match up to what you're feeling right now. "Tsukki's just tired, (Y/N)- _chan._ He didn't mean any of those words." You were grateful for having Tadashi to console you, but it didn't lift your spirits yet. Kei was never mad at you to the point that his usual monotone voice raised, you were lost on what you should do. You wanted to sneak into his room and crawl on his lap to hug him and apologize, since that's what you always do when you did something wrong and he gets mad at you from it. But Tadashi told you he needed to be left alone to cool his head off first.

A ringtone broke you out of your thoughts. It was heard from beside you, making you look at Tadashi who took his phone out and replied to a message. He turned to you with a sheepish smile. "It's Shimada- _san_. He's asking me if I want to practice my serves, but it's too dark for you to stay alone so I should get you home, (Y/N)- _chan_." You shook your head and took your phone out, pretending to text someone. "I still want to stay here, Tada _-kun._ Don't worry, I sent a text to Aki- _nii_. You can go ahead."

"No—"

"Please? I don't want you postponing your practice with Shimada- _san_."

"But—"

"Please, Tadashi? For me?" His face exploded in red, he's thankful that the darkness covered it up. You only ever use his name without honorifics when he doesn't agree with you. He wanted to remain firm but he's weak to your puppy-eyed expression. If only he was _like_ Kei. He sighed and nodded in defeat before standing up. "Text me when you get home, okay?" Whenever he looked back at you in worry as he left the park, you always made sure to reassure him with a smile and as soon as he was out of your vision, you dropped your smile and sighed, looking up to see the moon that was about to be engulfed by the clouds.

When the moon was fully covered, you sighed once again and stood up from the swing, wincing a little at the creak of the seat's hinges. You started to walk home slowly, using the dim light of the lamp posts that you passed by as your guide. Your eyes were downcast, listening to the crickets' chirping and your shoes scraping against the cement road. The sounds of the crickets stirred something within you, reminding you of something, but before you could ponder over it, you heard heavy footsteps.

**_ (WARNING!!!!!!: RAPE AND VIOLENCE AHEAD! YOU CAN SKIP TO THESE ARROWS "->->->->->->->->->->-> _ ** **_ " I'M SORRY ;--;) _ **

"H-Honey? Is that you? I missed you!" You flinched at the slurred speech that came from behind you, starting to quicken your pace and acting like you didn't hear him. But as you did, you can also hear his footsteps move towards you at a quicker pace. You didn't dare to look back. You were afraid to look back. You needed to get home faster, get home where you're safe; where you're in Kei's arms. You were getting tired from all of the running, but you can see the outline of your house so it was all good.

Or so you thought.

A hand caught your wrist and pulled you into a dark alleyway. You didn't get to scream because the same hand wrapped around your throat, making your arms fly up to stop it from blocking your airway. You tried to kick him, but his legs kept them pinned. "Why are you running away from me, honey? Don't you miss me? Huh? What's this jacket doing here? Piece of shit, throw this away, it's covering your beautiful body." Tears started to blur your vision as you followed the direction where Kei's jacket landed on the ground just outside of the alleyway.

"I-I don't... know... you, sir!... I-I'm not... your wife! P-Please... let... me go!!" You managed to gasp out through his grip around your neck. "Not my wife? Oh, I remember," he laughed, tightening his grip and making you claw at his wrists stronger. "You bitch! You left me for that bastard!" He raised you up on the wall before throwing you on the ground, messily clambering over you and placing his hand on your neck again before you managed to get up.

He started to pull your shirt apart, the buttons flying off. You couldn't push him away because you were trembling so much, you couldn't even see because of your tears, and your breaths were getting labored fast. You tried to knee him where it hurts but he had his leg between your legs, pushing them apart and rubbing his knee on your core. "Honey, I missed you so much, you know? I keep thinking of touching you like this again..." he trailed off as he leaned down and licked at your neck up to your ear, causing you to whimper out of fear which he took as a sign of arousal.

"You missed me too? I know, honey. Let's remove this useless piece of crap that's covering your lovely tits, shall we?" You shook your head furiously, trying to push him away once more. You wanted to scream. But the only sounds that came out of your lips were ragged breaths. He let go of your neck, and you gasped for sweet air, only to be cut off short when his lips crashed on yours. You instantly recoiled and turned your head to the side, sobbing when he pulled you to face him again by your hair. He didn't kiss you again but instead, he let go and pulled your bra down. You covered them instantly, shrieking when a hand harshly landed on your cheek and pinned your arms above your head with one arm.

"Who told you to cover them, huh?! You slut, you show these tits to your bastard, why can't I? I'm your fucking husband!" He snarled out, the sound of him spitting came right after. Your eyes widened when you felt him assaulting your breasts and his hand sliding under your skirt, allowing you to feel that it was wet with his slick. You struggled, knowing that you couldn't completely push him off, but it'll give you time to find your voice back. All the while, Kei's words echoed in your mind. He was right, you were weak. He was right, you needed him. You need him. That was all it took to get your voice back.

"KEI- _KUN_! KEI- _KUN_! KEI- _KUN_! KEI—" Your pleas were cut short when the drunk man slapped you again. "Shut up, you noisy bitch!" You were about to try and shout for help again, but your voice once again diminished to defeated sobs at the burning feeling of his fingers penetrating you. Your vision started to fade in and out, a certain scene flashing in your eyes as your head lolled to the side limply, facing the opening of the alleyway where oddly, you saw a circle of light along with Kei's jacket that seemed to be floating. "I'm sorry... *hic* I'm sorry..." You repeated, fat tears endlessly flowing down your face in a rapid pace.

**_ START HERE AGAIN " _ ** **_ >->->->->->->->->->-> _ ** **_ " _ **

It felt like an eternity but it was only a few seconds when the weight of the man on top of you finally disappeared and you saw the outlines of plastic bags, vegetables, fruits, cans, and an opened box of broken eggs at the front of the alleyway. You heard sounds from beside you, but you couldn't move; you stayed on the ground, shivering and sniveling helplessly. You felt your body being lifted up to a sitting position, but you didn't struggle because a familiar scent surrounded you from the cloth that was draped around your body. You looked up at who was holding you, only making out the blurred face and hearing him calling out to you.

"A-Aki... _nii_?" You croaked out weakly. He nodded, zipping Kei's Jacket close and then picking you up after contacting the local police, telling the address and sending them the photo of the man's ID. "Aki- _nii_... I'm sorry. I'm sorry * hic* I'm sorry..." You cried into his chest, your hands weakly clutching at his shirt. "Shhh, (Y/N)- _chan_... don't be sorry please, it's not your fault." His words only made your cries increase in volume and your apologies turned gibberish due to how fast you were speaking.

Akiteru was on his way home from buying the groceries, humming a popular song that got stuck in his head. He was briskly walking home, excited to eat with his family; only slowing down when he saw a black thing on the ground a few feet away from him. He managed to make up the words written on the back and realized his brother probably dropped it on the way home, but it's not like him to drop it... At that thought, the hair on the back of his neck stood up as he ran to the front of the dark alleyway where sounds that were kind of muffled were heard. He picked Kei's jacket up and turned on the flashlight of his phone to shine light into the dark alleyway at the same time that he heard your voice calling out for Kei. He dropped his groceries, his vision turning red at the drunk man that was on top of you. Immediately, he sprinted and pushed the man off you. Akiteru was kind and sweet, but when it came to someone hurting his family, he will show no mercy whoever they are. He beat the drunkard until he was out cold, ignoring the forming bruises on his knuckles.

Once in front of their house, he knocked on the door, knowing his mother would be there to open it for him. _"Matte kudasai!"_ Rushed footsteps neared the door before the door swung open and Hinako greeted the both of you with a bright smile that straightaway dropped as soon as she saw your state. She gasped, tears forming in her hazel orbs and her hands flying up to her mouth as she made way to let Akiteru in. She helped him with taking off your shoes, following the both of you into the living room while rubbing soft circles into your arms.

"It's so late, I thought she was already home. What happened...?" Hinako asked Akiteru who sat on the couch with you still in his hold. "M-Mom?" you turned to face her, feeling her soft hands gently caressing your face. You leaned into her touch and sobbed, closing your eyes tightly as you trembled. "I-I'm sorry, mom. I'm s-sorry, I'm sorry, I'm—" You hiccupped, your words getting muffled as she pulled you close to her, running her hands through your (h/c) strands. Akiteru placed you down on the couch and stood up, saying, "I'll go get Kei..."

You abruptly pulled away from Hinako, shaking your head furiously as you spoke, "NO! No, please! Don't tell Kei- _kun_ , please... We had a fight... Please don't tell him..." You allowed sobs to rack through your body, weakly falling into Hinako's arms. "Shh, shh... Let's get you home, I'll fix you a warm bath, okay?" You nodded through your tears and pulled away from her, shakily standing up then falling forward. Luckily, Akiteru caught you and picked you up, ignoring your apologies.

They went to your house and Akiteru placed you down on your bed, leaning you on the headboard while Hinako fixed your bath in the bathroom. He got your clothes ready and kissed your forehead before telling his mom that he's leaving. Since, you were placed on your bed, Hachi and Yuki went to your side and on top of you to try and stop your tears, but you just hugged them close, burying your face in their fur as you apologized repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Kei was in his room, sitting in front of his desk with his headphones blasting music through his ears. His eyes alternated from the textbooks laid on his desk every time he turned to the next page, waiting for you to sneak into his room and apologize to him so he could also do. He opened his phone, seeing if you left him a message then glancing up at the time. His brows furrowed, seeing that it was late. Usually, you'd be coming into his room early to apologize. If you weren't coming, he'd be the one to go to you. He clicked his tongue and stood up while setting his headphones down, realizing that he has to suck up and lower his pride.

As soon as he opened the door, he was face to face with Akiteru whose hand was raised in an attempt to knock. Kei raised a brow, prompting him to lower his hand and clear his throat, sporting a serious expression. "Kei, we need to talk." Kei nodded and wordlessly followed him to the kitchen where he watched him pour tea into another container. "Kei, did you fight with (Y/N)- _chan_?"

"Yeah. Did she tell you? I was about to go to her—" Akiteru turned and faced him, pushing the thermal bottle towards him. "Give this to (Y/N)- _chan_ , okay?" Kei's eyes landed on Akiteru's hands as he took the bottle. " _Nii-chan..._ why are your knuckles bruise?" Out of the siblings, Kei was the one more prone to fights. His brother was kind, he didn't get into fights, so his concern raised when he saw the dried blood decorating his knuckles. "Oh, these? It's no big deal, I just had to bash the face of the bastard who nearly defiled her, you know?" He said these while staring into his brother's eyes, his hazel orbs cold and full of rage.

Seconds.

It only took him seconds to realize and then he's running out of the house to go to yours. As soon as he opened the door to your room, he heard his mother's voice singing softly and saw her sitting at the edge of the bed, caressing your hair with your two companions sleeping at her feet. "Kei, if you help her take a bath and change her clothes tomorrow... don't do anything reckless after, okay? Don't go look for the man and beat him up like last time, okay? You almost beat him to death..." she said without turning to look at him. When he kept quiet, she looked at him, sighing when she saw his blank eyes; knowing that he wouldn't listen to her.

"Please, Kei. Just stay with her. I'm leaving her in your hands, okay? I need to contact Nagata- _san_ soon..." She walked pass him after pulling him down to peck his cheek, reminding him of what she said in case he didn't listen. He closed the door and sat on the side of your bed, pulling Hotaru (the dino plushy) with his jacket draped around it out of your arms. You stirred, turning to face him in your sleep and allowing him to see the handprint on your face and the bruise on your neck. He wanted to kill the men. They didn't deserve to live after tainting you. If one could beat themselves up, he would've done it long ago for not being there when you need him most.

He wanted to punch himself so hard that he ends up unconscious then wake up to find that everything was just a nightmare. That _those_ events didn't happen. Unfortunately, his hope was too far-fetched, this was reality; it already happened, he couldn't do anything. He sighed and turned off your bedside lamp, taking off his glasses and setting them beside it. He would need to sleep and then wake up early because there was a practice match with Ougi Nishi High School by tomorrow afternoon. He'd probably skip the morning practice for you.

He laid down and cradled you close so that your head was resting on his chest comfortably then pulled your comforter over the both of you. "Sorry... I'm always not there when you need me. You probably called out for me—fuck. I'm sorry, (Y/N)." He knew you wouldn't hear him, but he needed to apologize. Most likely, you wouldn't remember what happened tomorrow, so he needed to think of what to say in case you asked where the bruises came from. At his thoughts, he pressed his lips on top of your head and caressed your hair until he succumbed to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ___________________________________
> 
> Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person's consent.
> 
> Sexual penetration is the insertion of a body part or other object into a body orifice , such as the vagina, anus or mouth , as part of human sexual activity or animal sexual behavior.
> 
> \- Wikipedia
> 
> Rina: Kon'nichiwa, min'na-san! It's been so long since last update, I'm so sorry. I want to blame it on my time management, but school is just loading our g-classroom with tons of tasks (that changed because someone filed a complaint :>) I swear I will make it up to you by Christmas vacation. I just hope that our teachers wouldn't dump projects on us during that time. ;-;
> 
> I'll be working on a one-shot next and I'm choosing between these three :3
> 
> 1\. What If
> 
> 2\. As You Wish
> 
> 3\. Say Cheese!
> 
> The next chapters would start to get more troublesome, and we are getting to the training camp arc! Expect the warnings to be frequent because like what I said, this book has mature content.
> 
> Oh! Who do you guys think is the one who wrote the letter? That will be revealed in the later chapters. See you whenever!~ \>u

**Author's Note:**

> I will say this again..  
> This is also in Wattpad. My UN there is PropertyOfTsukki.  
> I also publish here so those without Wattpad accounts can still read my works.
> 
> Thank you for reading this and for giving kudos!~  
> Kindly visit my profile and check out my other works too~


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